Various measures put in place to help parents teach their children

The government has taken a variety of measures to improve family education and offer guidance to parents on educating their children so that students grow up in a healthy and harmonious environment.

For example, the Family Education Promotion Law, which officially took effect on Jan 1, last year, encourages parents to give their children a proper moral, physical and psychological education.

Parents and guardians need to learn about family education and develop teaching skills, according to the law, which also states that they bear the primary responsibility for educating children, while the government, schools and society should offer support.

The law bans parents from burdening children excessively, stating that they should organize time for study, rest, recreation and physical exercise.

Parents and guardians should also help ensure their children do not develop an addiction to the internet.

They should pay attention to the physical, psychological and intellectual development of their children and respect their right to voice their opinions on family affairs.

They should not use violence to discipline their children, nor should they discriminate against their children based on their gender or physical condition, the law added.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Education, the All-China Women's Federation and nine other departments issued a five-year plan in April last year focused on the guidance and development of family education.

The aim is to develop a guidance system that serves both urban and rural areas and ensures that children can grow up healthily.

By 2025, it is expected that the number of family education service providers will have increased greatly, and a team of professionals specialized in the topic will have been formed, the plan said.

Bian Yufang, a professor of education at Beijing Normal University, said that currently, many parents are more concerned about their child's academic performance.

This is a shortsighted view, she said, and shows that many parents are only wishing for quick success and monetary gain for their children.

Parents should remember that they are their child's first teachers, so they should develop clearer ideas of parenting and improve their parenting skills, Bian said.

They should also work with schools and communities in teaching their children, increase communication with schools and actively take part in family education activities organized by schools, she said.

Kang Liying, dean of the college of preschool education at Capital Normal University, said that while educating their children is every parent's right, some lack parenting skills, so society as a whole should help them improve their skills to be able to better educate their children.

"Parents should educate their children through words and deeds, teach them good family values and maintain harmonious relationships with family members," Kang said.

They should support the efforts of schools, exchange good educational concepts with other parents and encourage their children to learn and grow by participating in social activities, she added.