Chinese kids not sleeping enough
- Source: Global Times
- [11:15 August 20 2010]
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"In the US, we start later and get off earlier," he added. "It's not nearly as tiring, nor stressful."
According to his mother, the American school system does a better job of catering to the needs of students than the Chinese one.
"English, math, arts and sports are all taught at American schools, so just going to school for the day is good enough for him," the woman, who preferred not to be named, told the Global Times Thursday. "It's much better this way; he now has more time for other things like spending time with friends."
Parents ought to ease up
Similar sentiments were echoed by a member of the parent's association at Peijia International School in Putuo district. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said that children should not be so thinly stretched, as having time to take part in activities unrelated to academics is just as important to their social development of valuable life skills.
"Chinese kids are under too much pressure these days," she added. "Most parents think that school and tests are the most crucial things for a child, but they're wrong - that kind of strict lifestyle isn't actually good for their well-being."
According to Dr George Zhang of the Shanghai United Family Hospital, it is imperative for youth to find a balance between school, sleep and healthy eating to ensure every advantage. He told the Global Times Thursday that young children require at least eight hours of sleep a night, while high school students should have a minimum of seven hours every day.
Meanwhile, Wang Hailiang, a researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that parents should be wary of putting too much pressure on the academic performance of their child.
"Kids need a break, too," he told the Global Times Thursday. "Not having enough time to play and spending too much time studying will have serious long-term detrimental effects on children, especially when such a routine is carried on for lengthy periods of time."
