Babysitting duties are stressing China’s grandparents
Having three generations under one roof is no longer the solution to child care
Traditionally, doting Chinese grannies look after their grandchildren free. So when a grandmother in the south-western province of Sichuan sued her daughter and son-in-law for unpaid child-care fees, it caused a stir on social media. The grandmother, who is surnamed Duan, had looked after her grandson for five years while his parents worked in another city. She wanted compensation. In September, a local judge found in her favour. The boy’s parents were ordered to pay her 82,500 yuan ($11,300).
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Grumbling grannies”
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