BEIJING: Chinese parents are sending their children to “hardship summer camps” to engage in farm work, often to the point of tears, in an effort to teach them the realities of life and foster appreciation for their families.
This summer, a programme known as “hardship camp” is gaining popularity across China. Many parents are investing thousands of yuan (hundreds of US dollars) to send their children to the countryside to experience rural life first-hand.
These programmes are primarily located in the southwestern provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, where the climate is relatively pleasant during the summer months.
The activities assigned to the children at the camp mirror the daily tasks of farmers, including digging and selling potatoes, peeling bark, and feeding pigs.
However, unlike ordinary helpers who receive wages for their labour, these children – and their parents – must pay for the experience.
One camp charges over 4,000 yuan (US$600) for a 10-day experience, while longer stays of up to a month can cost more than 10,000 yuan.
Strict rules govern these camps. For instance, if a child fails to complete their assigned tasks, they may face the penalty of having only potatoes for meals.
Additionally, their phones are confiscated, and supplies are distributed based on the amount of work completed.
Camp organisers claim their primary goal is to instil an understanding of the difficulties associated with labour and earning money. At the same time, they ensure that the tasks are not deemed “too hard” as a reassurance to parents.
Viral videos from the camps depict children crying and pleading to return home, with some even expressing a willingness to tackle homework instead, saying: “I can do anything as long as it is not farm work.”
Some camps also require children to write letters to their parents.
A staff member from one camp noted that parents were often moved by the videos and letters from their children and subsequently recommended the camps to others.
A man surnamed Gao from Sichuan province sent his first-year secondary school daughter to one of these “hardship summer camps.” He was surprised to discover that, despite her constant complaints, his daughter enjoyed the farm work.
Another parent from Shanghai, who sent her seven-year-old daughter to a camp for 10 days, noted that her daughter retained her lazy and picky habits. Nonetheless, she expressed satisfaction because her daughter “stepped outside her comfort zone and experienced a different lifestyle.”
In the comments section beneath the camps’ videos, many individuals inquired about how to enrol their children in these programmes.
“What our children experience in these summer camps reflects the real hardships our generation faced. We aimed to provide them with a better life but may have inadvertently spoiled them. Perhaps facing difficulty is essential for children to appreciate their comfortable lives,” commented one netizen.
However, others cautioned against placing excessive burdens on the children.
“Many children only receive education in city classrooms. Excessive labour could negatively impact their physical and mental development,” remarked another. - South China Morning Post
