Discourses and practices of child-rearing in China: The bio-power of parenting in Beijing

Abstract

Based on 13 months of fieldwork which was conducted among middle-class families in Beijing, this article explores young children's daily bodily practices and juxtaposes these practices with discourses on child-rearing which have gained prominence in post-Mao China. The article aims to demonstrate that the new discourse on childhood, education, and child-rearing, which has been promoted by the Chinese government since the 1980s, does not always correspond to, and sometimes even contradicts, actual practices in Chinese families. The argument here is that this gap stems in large part from the dominant role of grandparents during the early stages of child-rearing, who tend to perpetuate values and practices, such as obedience and dependence, and to maintain a firm grip on the child's body.The past three decades in China have seen the emergence of a new dominant discourse on childhood and child-rearing, which highlights children's individualism and personal freedom. This new discourse has attracted the attention of several scholars who have explored the various ways in which such discourse is enacted and implemented in everyday life. Most of the studies, however, have focused on children who have already entered the Chinese schooling system, a context that is heavily influenced by the official policy, and one which promotes the new discourse and aims to shape the child as a new

Jordanian mothers' knowledge of infants' childrearing and developmental milestones

“…They found no relationship between mothers' knowledge score and level of education, age or number of children. In Beijing, grandparents had a dominant role in perpetuating values and practices in childrearing (Binah-Pollak 2014). A study by Al-Hassan & Lansford (2011) revealed gaps in mothers' knowledge regarding social, language and play activities for their children, and accordingly a 16-h education programme, the 'Better Parenting Programme' , was delivered (Al-Hassan & Lansford 2011).…”

“…They found that parity, education and family income had limited influence on mothers' practices and that mothers used more informal sources of information. In Beijing, grandparents had a dominant role in perpetuating values and practices in childrearing (Binah-Pollak 2014).…”

Representing anxious parents in China: A study of Parenting Science magazine 1980–2016

“…public healthcare system) institutions and has thus made the biopolitical control very effective. In less than 30 years, childrearing and children’s healthcare have shifted from a set of practices based on public service towards practices based on individual responsibilities and resources (Binah-Pollak, 2014; Davis and Sensenbrenner, 2000; Gong, 2016). Limited civic and political rights in China means few public-minded and collective actions are permitted.…”

“…While a wealth of literature researching parenthood, parental practices and parenting culture can be found in Western societies (Apple, 1995; Crighton et al, 2013; Furedi, 2008; Hays, 1996; Knaak, 2010; Lee et al, 2010, 2016; Murphy, 2000; Oakley, 1980; Schmied and Lupton, 2001; Shirani et al, 2012; Thomson et al, 2011), little existing literature addresses similar topics in China, a country with a recent history of state-directed modernisation. The modernising processes - including individualisation, marketisation and a neoliberal reform of the healthcare system - have reconfigured the ‘cultural experience’ of individuals (Barker, 2012: 185), such as parents shifting their childrearing activities towards a modern, self-managed set of practices based on individual family resources (Binah-Pollak, 2014; Davis and Sensenbrenner, 2000; Gong, 2016). The ‘experiences’ of new parents in urban China are characterised by anxieties which are linked to uncertainty, ambiguity, risk and continual change (Gong, 2016).…”

Gendered Division of Digital Labor in Parenting: A Qualitative Study in Urban China

“…Urban Chinese parents, especially middle-class parents, want to raise "happy, healthy, independent, and self-confident" children who are also academically excellent (Jankowiak & Moore, 2017, p. 92;Kuan, 2015). With increased family incomes, urban Chinese parents tend to invest a great deal of resources on childcare (Binah-Pollak, 2014;Kuan, 2015). Urban Chinese parents are also expected to acquire a scientific knowledge of childrearing and perform multiple roles, "including teacher, playmate, counselor, and friend," in daily childcare (Jankowiak & Moore, 2017, p. 92;Kuan, 2015).…”