I read an article this week about Chinese children who are being pushed to unbelievable lengths to stand out in China, leading up to the Olympics. From an 8 year old who runs 40 miles per day to a 4 year old swimming prodigy riding a beluga whale, the stunts are outrageous and at what cost to children. Olympic fever is being blamed for some of the acts, but I think perhaps Western observation of China leading up to the Olympics is simply spotlighting what already exists in a country where children’s rights are still minimal at best and where one-child family planning policies put pressure on families to encourage overachievement in their child.
