A child's point of view

As I look around china, at their different culture, I stop to think what are they and the west
creating in our children's future. I am not talking here about war or politics, but of a more
fundamental issue.

We are so advanced and busy in creating our new technologies, that maybe at times we should stop to think that our children still need to learn the art of social, verbal and written skills. As we place our kids on a computer keyboard at a younger and younger age, we forget to pay attention
to the art of reading and writing. Here in China, the word dyslexia is not used. When I mentioned to people that when I take a taxi I have seen and understood, that some of the older
drivers are illiterate. I know this to be true by the way that they inspect the card or writtten
paper that I give them displaying the address that I wish to travel to.

Children here in Beijing, of a middle class, white collar family, are provided with extra english lessons either at kindergarden or an extra curriculum activity at the weekend or privately after
school. As the youngsters of age 10 progress in their talking skills, they are taught the language
mathematically, through memorising certain words, but are unable to read more than a three
letter word, so when the words are long, they mumble so that the teacher does not notice their
inability to read properly.

The children emerge from their protected cocoon at the age of 2 and even though we associate china with slimness, I am amazed to see a percentage of these litttle kids, being quite overweight. I am not talking about chubbiness, but heaviness. I realise that our picture of the Asian race being small, is not true today, as children grow taller than their parents and eat a
different balanced diet as to the traditional rice or noodles.

The babies that stay home, will be fed well, but not exercised, as the playgrounds that I have passed, remain empty in the mornings. In my class of little children last week, two little boys almost attacked me in their fight to get the packed of biscuits I had brought with me as a bribe!!

Also, the amount of McDonalds and Kentucky fried chicken outlets, may be delicious, but will and have already changed the chinese eating habits and in turn their bodily appearance.