One Child, Unlimited Burden
Many people said that people who were born after the 1980s were the begi
nning of a nightmare. This is because in the 1970s in China, the government had a new policy, which was to promote that one couple have only one child. The emergence of this policy affected everyone after 1980’s. In the old society, every average family had four children, so China had become the most populous country in the world. This family planning was ordered to control population growth so that it can improve the living standards and economic prosperity. After this policy was fully implemented, it really influenced a lot of Chinese people who were born after 1980. I was born after 1980, so has this policy influenced me a lot lack of affection, personality and pressure.
First of all, when the family planning was implemented, it let me feel the lack of affection and gave me too much special attention. Each family could have one child, and my family was no 
exception. My parents only have me. This began my lonely childhood. Since I was conscious that I knew I do not have any brothers or sisters, I realized I had nobody to play with me. In fact, I just played with dolls solitarily and played multiple roles by myself every day. This has caused me never know how to share anything with others in my life. It is because as the only child of my parents and grandparents, they have always treated me as a precious pearl. Without any siblings to share their love, I have been as “a little queen” in this family. They have always helped me do anything and make concessions for me. Specifically, they helped me to wash the clothes all the time. As a result, when I was thirteen years old, I still did not know how to wash my clothes. The whole family spoiled me such as the small flower in a greenhouse. This didn’t allow me to learn to be independent.
nning of a nightmare. This is because in the 1970s in China, the government had a new policy, which was to promote that one couple have only one child. The emergence of this policy affected everyone after 1980’s. In the old society, every average family had four children, so China had become the most populous country in the world. This family planning was ordered to control population growth so that it can improve the living standards and economic prosperity. After this policy was fully implemented, it really influenced a lot of Chinese people who were born after 1980. I was born after 1980, so has this policy influenced me a lot lack of affection, personality and pressure.
First of all, when the family planning was implemented, it let me feel the lack of affection and gave me too much special attention. Each family could have one child, and my family was no 
exception. My parents only have me. This began my lonely childhood. Since I was conscious that I knew I do not have any brothers or sisters, I realized I had nobody to play with me. In fact, I just played with dolls solitarily and played multiple roles by myself every day. This has caused me never know how to share anything with others in my life. It is because as the only child of my parents and grandparents, they have always treated me as a precious pearl. Without any siblings to share their love, I have been as “a little queen” in this family. They have always helped me do anything and make concessions for me. Specifically, they helped me to wash the clothes all the time. As a result, when I was thirteen years old, I still did not know how to wash my clothes. The whole family spoiled me such as the small flower in a greenhouse. This didn’t allow me to learn to be independent. Moreover, this policy has always made me have some problems with my personality. Growing up, I began to have my own social circles and began to have a boyfriend. Nevertheless, we 
haven’t known how to tolerate or get along with each other. We have always had a lot of arguments when we got together. It is because we both grew up in one child family. Sometimes we have hurt each other because we have treated everything with apathy and we had mood swings such as a change in the weather, sometimes sunny and sometimes rainy. In love, I have always liked to do what I want; I haven’t cared about him a lot. We both have been self- centered people; and have had a hard time considering the other. We plan to get married and have a child in the future, but if we keep going in this situation, we will divorce and this will not be good for our child. This problem cannot be ignored. 
Finally, this policy has given me a lot of family stress. In the future, if I get married, my family
will become a”421” family which has become popular family style since 1980s. A “421” family means my parents, my parents in-law, my husband, my child and me in the family. We only have one child, so we will have high expectations for him/her. Having a good job is very important to my husband and me because we will be the ones to take care of the burden of family maintenance. We need to make a lot of money to let our child get into top school and 
have a good education in the future. Therefore, my husband and I have to assume all the cost of this family. We have to consider a lot, not only give them a good living condition but also the mortgage of the house and cars. This is as a heavy cloth wrapper. It is endless. We both are in one child families, so no any siblings can share this great responsibility.
haven’t known how to tolerate or get along with each other. We have always had a lot of arguments when we got together. It is because we both grew up in one child family. Sometimes we have hurt each other because we have treated everything with apathy and we had mood swings such as a change in the weather, sometimes sunny and sometimes rainy. In love, I have always liked to do what I want; I haven’t cared about him a lot. We both have been self- centered people; and have had a hard time considering the other. We plan to get married and have a child in the future, but if we keep going in this situation, we will divorce and this will not be good for our child. This problem cannot be ignored. 
Finally, this policy has given me a lot of family stress. In the future, if I get married, my family
will become a”421” family which has become popular family style since 1980s. A “421” family means my parents, my parents in-law, my husband, my child and me in the family. We only have one child, so we will have high expectations for him/her. Having a good job is very important to my husband and me because we will be the ones to take care of the burden of family maintenance. We need to make a lot of money to let our child get into top school and 
have a good education in the future. Therefore, my husband and I have to assume all the cost of this family. We have to consider a lot, not only give them a good living condition but also the mortgage of the house and cars. This is as a heavy cloth wrapper. It is endless. We both are in one child families, so no any siblings can share this great responsibility. In conclusion, after this one child policy was implemented, it always has given Chinese who were born after 1980s a lot of problems. When numerous problems arise, I as most people who were born after 1980’s, haven’t wanted to grow up and I hope I can always live under the protection of our parents. Indeed, family planning was the burden for the previous generation, but at the same time, it brings a heavier burden to next generation. Many of our generation have lost confidence in our life and love. I hope this legislation will change so that it can solve many lonely childhoods, character effects and family pressure. Let us live more exciting lives.
The only-one-child policy in China is really interesting but a sad happening. I heard some kind of the rumor, which is that Chinese parents who have more than one child have abandoned their kids or sent them to foreign country. Also, your own experience of the only child in your family touched my heart.
ReplyDeleteStephy, it was very interesting for me to read your essay! I heard before about the law of one child in the family, but now I realized that things are still the same. It is really more fun to have brother or sister. However, not always they have good relationships. Hopefully, now when you in U.S. you would be able to have more kids. Does this policy affect you in America? It is really a question arise- what would parents will do if they accidently become pregnant? It is a very cruel law obviously.
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