China’s rapid development may have psychological and emotional impacts to children as more parents migrate to cities to seek employment.
The aptly called “left behind children” are usually left to their relatives or grandparents while one or both their parents are working in urban areas. They see their parents a few times a year at the most.
Studies show that the situation can affect the children’s studies and emotional security because they lack parental supervision and care.
A middle school in Anhui developed a programme to help the “left behind children” to cope up by pairing students to mentors that could guide them with their studies and offer companionship.
An estimated 58 million children are growing up without one or both their parents. According to studies, a generation has grown up without parents. Others are worried that the value of family is diminishing because of a long distance set up that comes with the need to improve their family’s lives.