So fast, tomorrow is Chinese New Year and Chinese all over the world are busy travelling back to their hometown to be with their families. In modern society where people leave their hometown to earn a living elsewhere, perhaps the festive period is the only time in a year when all in one family can meet each other, gone are the days when a big family living under one roof.
I read a piece of news a couple of days ago that Chinese New year could even be a big headache to some of the families especially in mainland China. The one-child policy implemented since the seventies to curb exorbitant increase in population poses some social problem in China. Why? A couple is only allowed to have one baby and thus they have 4 parents (own parents and in-laws) and one kid to look after, 4-2-1, so to speak.
The couple could be from different hometown which are far apart, one in the North and another from South for example and when come to Chinese New Year, the only time they can be together with their family, the biggest argument will certainly be where to celebrate, husband’s place or wife’s place and as I have said earlier, their home town could be very far apart, one in Kunming and one in Beijing for instant, too far that it is practically impossible for them to be going back to both places.
The biggest problem is that both parent and in-laws are only having one baby, if the husband decided to go back to his hometown and the wife’s parents will surely celebrating a lonely new year and likewise. No wonder some people chose to go back to their own place but then again there will be another big issue, who the baby should follow, father or mother.
It sounds funny but it is actually a way of modern life that a better understanding is required not only between the husband and wife but also their parents.
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