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Wealthy parents take children on tour of luxurious mansions to ‘build dreams’
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WHILE many Chinese parents chose to take their children to parks, plays or museums to celebrate Children’s Day on Monday, a group of youngsters in southern China was treated to a tour of mansions in hopes they would aspire to live in one.
The day before Children’s Day, more than 50 parents brought their children to visit large estates worth at least 4 million yuan (US$653,600) at a spa resort in Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province.
The weekend tour was designed to help children “build dreams” by allowing them to witness luxurious settings at the vacation getaway, according to a report in China Youth Daily.
The article said staff overheard parents telling their children that “fortune represents social status” and “only when you aspire to make a fortune can you possibly buy a mansion worth millions of dollars.”
Many of the visitors were wealthy locals. Some parents were wearing large rings and gold necklaces, symbols usually associated with the nouveau riche in China, a staff member told the paper.
“It’s a frequent occurrence,” said the employee, who requested anonymity. “Each weekend we receive more than 50 such families. This weekend more than 300 families have visited with their children because of Children’s Day.”
The visit sparked an online debate about the education methods of wealthy parents. Many web users remain divided on the issue.
On microblog Sina Weibo, a post about the tour was forwarded more than 2,100 times as of Monday afternoon.
“Their concept of education is so shallow,” read one comment by a Weibo user with the screen-name “Yongyongxiaoyu.”
Others argued there is nothing wrong with teaching children to pursue a fortune in a realistic world where money makes a difference.
China’s super-rich population is rising, with the number of individuals with a net worth of at least US$1 billion now at 430.
In an increasingly wealthy society, some of China’s nouveau riche, who equate money with success, are imparting their values to their offspring.
Experts said the phenomenon, though not mainstream, is a result of distorted values among some rich people, who regard money as the only standard of success. Some say such values are detrimental to the healthy growth of youngsters.
The mansion visit might sound as though money is being placed above all else, but the parents argue differently.
Ma Renwen, who took his child to the resort on Sunday, told China Youth Daily that the visit is practical.
“Money might not be everything, but it certainly means something in this world,” said Ma, who operates more than 30 chain stores selling high-end fabric across the country.
Boon or bane?
Ma said as a businessman it is important to teach his child business concepts so that when he grows up he can take over the family business.
“I think that such visits can motivate passion and conviction in my child,” he said.
Lan Xianming, who visited the resort with his 16-year-old son, agreed.
“When my older son was 10, I would take him to high-end property projects and auto shows,” said Lan, who runs an office furniture business. “Now he is in charge of a factory on his own.
“That’s why I took my younger son here.”
But some parents and experts have expressed concern that such trips may have a negative impact on impressionable children.
A woman surnamed Wang, a Beijing-based editor, said the intentions of parents may be good, but they go about it the wrong way.
“I don’t think visiting mansions can help young children ‘build dreams’,” said Wang, the mother of a 2-year-old girl. “Instead, it will fuel a sense of vanity and make them feel that being rich is simply about living in fancy houses.”
Xiong Bingqi, deputy head of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said the parents wanted to show the children their own idea of being successful, which includes owning a fabulous mansion. However, their understanding of success is quite one-sided and will have a negative impact on their children, he said.
“Money-oriented values will twist a child’s personality,” Xiong said. “They might feel like losers if they don’t become rich, and they will feel bad for letting their parents down.
“We should avoid having money-oriented values become mainstream in society,” he said.
Xiong’s opinion was echoed by Hou Limin, a preschool education expert at Guangxi Normal University.
“The first thing about educating a child is to teach him or her how to be a part of society and how to get along with others,” Hou said. “And more importantly, to be happy.
“Parents who place money above everything and instill the idea into their children only fuel a desire to be greedy for more money,” Hou said.
Social media users agreed.
“Happiness, rather than money, is most important,” said Weibo user “Xiangechangyou.” “If you are not happy, what use is money anyway?”
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