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Video of mother and son talking about parenting goes viral in China ahead of Mother’s Day
Published: May 09, 2021 06:46 PM
A screenshot of the mother and son in TV reality show Teenager Said Photo: Sina Weibo

A screenshot of the mother and son in TV reality show Teenager Said Photo: Sina Weibo

A video clip of a teen boy talking with his mother about their opposing opinions on education and parenting on the TV reality show Teenager Said recently became a hot topic on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo. The video got another push on Sunday, Mother's Day, perhaps due to the holiday's connections to maternal love, but its popularity also stemmed from the mom's positive and up-to-date parenting philosophy. 

In the video, the teen boy frankly shares a common "growing pain" with his mom, pointing out his dislike and the pressure he feels when being forced to do house chores and learn how to cook, and then asks his mother if she could refrain from doing so. 

While the answer was a predictable "no", but instead of saying doing housework is a "must," the mom described them as a way to teach her son a sense of responsibility that he will need to take care of his family if his future wife comes under too much pressure from work or study. "As a man, it would be equally important if you spend time in both study and kitchen," said the teen's mom. 

The mom's words were hailed by netizens on Sina Weibo. Some commented that the woman sounds like a good mother-in-law, while others said they see the necessity in teaching a boy how to love and respect women in today's society. 

"I support our home. His dad is rather domestic and so he allowed me to be a career woman by sacrificing his own job. I'm not saying my son has to does the same, but I want him to be a man who shows a woman love not just by catering to her material needs, but also by respecting her and understanding her pursuits," Shasha, a 37-year-old career woman in Chengdu, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The mom-and-son video clip has also inspired netizens to post their own unique stories and relationships about their mothers to express their love for their moms on Mother's Day. 

"I don't normally say 'l love you' to my mom, especially since she still nags me pretty much every day even though I'm nearly 30-years-old. But without her nagging, my life would be barren, so I'm buying her a flower this year to encourage her to continue doing what she is good at," Kevin, a 29-year-old man, told the Global Times on Sunday.