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Letters | Hong Kong parents need to just let kids be kids
- Tiger parents should think about allowing leisure time for their children
- Children ferried from one tutorial or hobby class to another may struggle to enjoy learning at all
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I am writing in response to the letter from Tracy Yip, “Less homework, more fun: why Hong Kong parents must let kids go out and play” (April 15). Admittedly, less homework is preferred, but “tiger parents” should first reduce the number of co-curricular activities and tutorial sessions for their kids.
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To help children “win at the starting line”, many of these tiger parents will arrange an array of extracurricular activities and tutorial sessions, with piano, violin and ballet lessons topping the hobby class list. But I am not convinced they really help to enhance children’s competitiveness or creativity.
Just going from one class to another from such a young age, without much time left to spend as they like, imposes a burden on children. Children who lack rest may fail to enjoy the learning experience at school, and find it hard to concentrate during lessons. In the long run, they may struggle to develop their personal interests, as their ability to engage in self-learning is hampered. This could help explain why so many local youngsters are prone to rely on their parents to cope with the challenges of everyday life.
Matthew Lin Kai-him, Tai Po
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