Some parents focus too much on their children's academic performance while neglecting a more important lesson—the development of self-care skills. Many children are not lazy; rather, whenever they try to do housework, they are stopped by their parents who say, “Just focus on studying; you don’t need to do chores.” Over time, this overprotection makes it difficult for children to live independently after leaving home. I have a friend like this. She is often untidy in daily life, and even the clothes she washes are not clean. Every weekend, she has to bring a pile of clothes home for her mother to wash, while her academic performance remains around an average level.
In contrast, children in some countries develop independence much earlier. In the United States, for example, many families gradually stop providing financial support once their children turn 18, encouraging them to live and work on their own. This approach helps young people learn responsibility earlier. However, in some families, parents overprotect their children, which delays their ability to become independent in society. Such “overprotection” may seem like love, but in reality it can become a form of constraint.
Because we have youth, we stand at a new starting point every day to face challenges; because we have youth, we can bravely pursue our dreams; because we have youth, we are not afraid of failure and believe everything can start over. Youth belongs to everyone, and our youth should be in our own hands.
