A recent survey conducted by China Youth Daily found that 42.7 percent of 1,943 respondents think family members should babysit their grandchildren, while 30.7 percent believe the opposite.
When it comes to their attitude towards grandparents who babysit, 63.4 percent of respondents said that young people should communicate more with them, and 58.7 percent think it is important to show respect and make sure the grandparents are in good mood.
Pan Yunkang, a researcher with the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, said that having people babysit their grandchildren was a unique feature of Chinese families.
"For elderly family members, babysitting their grandchildren can ease the burden on the shoulders of their own children," he said. "Elderly care and babysitting are both challenges Chinese society must face."
Babysitting grandchildren is an act of love, not an obligation, said Chen Zhilin, an expert in international education.
"Young couples should be grateful for their parents who babysit for them, and show their gratitude and care in the lives of the elderly," Chen said.
