8-Year-Old Schoolgirl’s Money Making Schemes, Reactions

From NetEase:

Gosh! My 8-year-old daughter is making money at school???

Noon today, when my daughter came home from school her mouth was red and swollen. When I asked, she said it was from eating ma la tang[a Chinese type of spicy soup]. This led me to discovering 8 yuan in her pocket, and I asked her where the money came from. She refused to say, so I went to school in the afternoon to investigate. To my astonishment, she’s making money from her classmates! How was she doing it??? Well, many of her classmates bring comics to school and are afraid of teachers’ inspections, so she keeps the comics for them, 5 jiao each time. Also, other students pay to use her pencil sharpener. The first two times are free, she charges 5 jiao from the third time and 5 jiao extra from the 6th time. In addition, I found a little notebook under her pillow tonight, with a list of people that owe her money written inside. Faint…

Had a talk with her tonight, told her that her responsibility right now is to study, and that friendship between classmates is priceless. Most importantly, it’s wrong to help others break school rules for money, because when she becomes a part of society she might break the law for money. (It’s the same thing, a set of rules that must be obeyed). The consequence to breaking the law is to lose life’s most precious freedom.

The child is asleep, but I can’t fall asleep (because in life I always like to help friends. But my daughter…), so here I am on the discussion forum, hoping to hear everyone’s thoughts. Thanks.

Note: The image above is not related to the above BBS post.

Comments from NetEase

永勿:

That’s right, don’t jump to blame her. You must carefully educate her, using the right methods.

追逐夏天:

[She] has such an economic mindset. I’m in awe.

yaolong9809:

Impressive, an 8-year-old kid!!

carzsnews:

I think the first commenter is only half right. If we were in another country, he would be correct. But in this country, peoples’ connections are very complicated, and we have to use Chinese-style education to teach kids. (There’s a popular saying here in Guangdong: Personal favors/relationships are bigger than debt.)

renjun213:

[Her] parents work for China Mobile? [known for monopolistic, excessive pricing policy]

wanwan1121:

I was good at drawing as a kid. When I was young, I drew sketches of Transformers, and other cartoon characters for other kids. 1 jiao per sketch, or trade for candy or toys. 1 jiao 20 years ago. I even gave discounts on large orders. Back then my orders numbered in the dozens. Then my mother found out, got a long talk, and I never dared to do it again.

大米泡饭:

Very good, already studying for MBA at such a young age.

yufeier126:

[in response to 永勿] You’re simply talking nonsense, Chinese entrepreneurs are all like this??? Genius??? You would not only fail to educate the child but also allow her to continue her behavior?! What kind of people are you!!!! Is money your god??? If she keeps on doing this in the long term, she won’t have real friends. One day, when she needs help, other people would use money to do business with her as well. Unfortunately, sometimes even money wouldn’t be able to help her. For example, she falls into a river, or a ditch…even if she is a billionaire it would be in vain!!!!

衣爵士特:

[in response to 永勿] I rather agree with this kind of thinking, it is much better than those kids who only know how to beg their parents for money. As long as she knows to keep within certain limits.
After all, society is practical.

真肥龙:

In China, favors and guanxi [connections] are sometimes much more important than money.

gaolingbo2:

Don’t always talk about society being corrupt. [You guys] don’t know know to start with yourselves to change it? Always blaming society like this is all an excuse. If we can educate the next generation properly, even if society is corrupt right now, wouldn’t the next generation be good? The key problem is adults themselves, who say one thing and do another, all excessively selfish, all wishing everybody else were good-hearted, and only oneself was bad/manipulative. What kind of mentality is that?

齊天大圣:

Faint, you should carefully reflect on yourself. Did the child learn this from you??

szxs1979:

Your daughter is not bad! Really not bad! [She] should be nurtured!
What studying! You should know that’s for fools! What’s a so-called degree for?

Making money in the future! The diploma is just a long-term food stamp.
As for studying, the process is more important! Use the microcosm of school society to feel and understand the relationships between people!

You should educate and nurture your child!

Noon today, when my daughter came home from school her mouth was red and swollen. When I asked, she said it was from eating spicy soup. This led me to discovering 8 yuan in her pocket, and I asked her where the money came from. She refused to say, so I went to school in the afternoon to investigate. To my astonishment, she’s making money from her classmates! How was she doing it??? Well, many of her classmates bring comics to school and are afraid of teachers’ inspections, so she keeps the comics for them, 5 jiao each time. Also, other students pay to use her pencil sharpener. The first two times are free, she charges 5 jiao from the third time and 5 jiao extra from the 6th time. In addition, I found a little notebook under her pillow tonight, with a list of people that owe her money written inside. Faint…

This part? 1. Is the ma la tang clean? Careful she could be contracted with hepatitis! Usually these little food stalls around schools are not very sanitary!
2. Keeping comics for others! Why can she keep them? What will happen if the teacher catches her? Ask her what if others asked for damages [if the comics are confiscated]? Even though it’s not a lot of money, see how she answers! Or what if others are jealous of her business and report to the teacher! Even if it’s a child’s world and there’s no morals and laws, you need to nurture her in this respect! Ask her, see her explanations and problem-solving ideas. If they’re appropriate, let her be. Otherwise correct her!
3. As for the pencil sharpener, I think it’s a great idea! This is a legit business, you can let her continue! I think it helps the child, it’s very good!
4. The notebook issue! There’s nothing wrong with this either! But you need to ask her what she would do if others didn’t refused to pay her. Ask her, how would you hanle this? See her explanations! This too is very important!

Also, you should nurture a saving habit in your child! Take her earnings and open a bank account for her! Always take her to go save her money!
Don’t let her develop a reckless spending habit! Teach her! Then buy some useful stuff for her to use!
Don’t let her spend it all on food and drinks!

You have to discuss! Discuss like friends! Do not scold!

Treating your child this way will help her even more!

As for this hindering her studies, that’s not necessarily true. Look at her grades and performance in school. And don’t think being successful means being first at exams! This kind of mentality is mistaken! It hinders the child!

Getting into university, grad school, getting a doctorate!!! Actually, the final goal is still money!

Of course, going to school itself is a process to understand society and develop maturity!

风动心静:

Guide her appropriately, you should instill in her that friendship cannot be traded for with money.

lidongyu96:

No big deal, I wrote homework for others for money! Parents didn’t give me allowance, so I made it myself, and it felt good spending it!

lidongyu96:

[in response to 风动心静] You’re right, but think about it. Nowadays, is there still real friendship between students? Even the best friends will argue and fight because of money and advantages. Today’s society has created too many problems! But all in all, money can’t buy friendship. It can only buy alliances. This kind of alliance, you can’t depend on!

Alliances. chinaSMACK personals.