The night after his father’s funeral, for the first time, Mr. Nguyen Minh Hung, 40 years old, flipped through his grandfather’s faded notebook filled with words.
This notebook was compiled by my father when I first went to work in Hanoi.
Only children are loved by their parents when they are young, but bear heavy responsibilities when they grow up.
Dr. Khuat Thu Hong – Director of Social Development Research Institute, said that an only child receives all their love from their parents, but the family’s expectations for them are also high.
`In Vietnamese culture, the common responsibility of children is to be filial to their parents, worship their ancestors, and study well… Wealthy families are better off, but if born into a poor family, the child
When Hung graduated from university, unable to find a job for half a year, his father quit his job as a farmer, packed his money, took a car to Hanoi to find an acquaintance to apply for a job for his son.
He married a teacher and bought an apartment, even though he owed 2/3 of the money, according to his parents’ expectations.
He planned to `leave the city and return to the countryside`, having time to take care of his father, make incense for his ancestors, and relieve financial pressure in the city.
Hung’s father’s wish was to have a grandchild.
In the following days, he and his wife were scared when they saw the phone ringing his name.
As the only daughter in the family, the burden fell on Mai Phuong (26 years old) when her father fell ill.
Two months ago, Phuong’s father had a stroke.
Only when he knocked on the neighbor’s door at midnight was he taken to the emergency room.
After a few days, her father regained consciousness but recovered slowly.
Mai Phuong was struggling to find enough money to pay hospital fees.
But every time she thinks of the two old people waiting for her child to come home, Phuong tries to shake it off.
No financial pressure, her parents are healthy, but Vu Thuy An, 27 years old, Hai Phong had a lonely childhood.
`We want to take care of our children wholeheartedly, to make our children’s happiness more complete,` he explained when his children wondered why they didn’t have a younger sibling.
This is a photo that makes An cry every time she looks at it.
As a child, Thuy An was always `popular` in class because she could wear beautiful princess outfits and eat delicious food.
But my parents were busy working and only came home when it was dark.
When An was in third grade, his family moved from Hai Phong to the south.
Her parents had enough economic resources to take care of her to study abroad and supported her to enter any school she liked.
When in love, An always wants to find someone near home.
According to 2020 statistics of the Department of Population and Family Planning, Ministry of Health, 21 provinces and cities are having birth rates of less than 2 children, accounting for 39% of the population.
Dr. Khuat Thu Hong believes that the increasing number of people giving birth to fewer or fewer children is not due to selfishness of parents but due to social pressure and economic pressure they are subjected to.
According to Ms. Hong, to limit families having only one child, policymakers need to build reasonable social policies: build better quality, cheaper public facilities, and invest in children.
One year after his father passed away, Mr. Hung was still working in Hanoi, struggling with the decision to stay in the city or return to his hometown.
And An has a daughter who is over two years old and is pregnant.
The names of some characters in the article have been changed.