I was born into a typical middle-class family in Hebei Province, at a time when terms like "child hyper-education" (jiwa) and intensive mothering were not yet widely discussed. Yet, my upbringing inadvertently aligned with the parenting practices that would become prevalent three decades later. Under China’s One-Child policy, and in order to counteract the traditional son preference in our family, my mother was determined to raise an outstanding daughter to prove that girls could outperform boys. Consequently, I was enrolled in a local arts kindergarten, began learning the accordion at age three, vocal music at five, and piano at eight. During primary school, I was the lead singer in the school choir and won top prizes in numerous provincial and municipal vocal competitions. Meanwhile, my mother, who was a full-time homemaker, never relaxed her expectations regarding my academic performance. She assisted me in previewing lessons and checking homework, and accompanied me to various tutoring and enrichment classes. Under such rigorous maternal involvement, I consistently ranked at the top of my class and served as class monitor, among other roles.

During high school, while preparing intensively for the national college entrance examination (Gaokao), I devoted half my time to vocal training for art specialty admissions. Ultimately, my efforts paid off: I was granted preferential admission offers from both Renmin University of China and Peking University. I am fully aware that these achievements were inseparable from the dedication and financial investment of my parents, particularly the significant time my mother devoted to my upbringing.

Though I missed my dream Universities in Beijing, I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Hong Kong and was exceptionally fortunate to pursue my doctoral studies under the supervision of Professor Jean Yeung. In her, I witnessed the same academic rigor and meticulousness that my mother had instilled in me, which gradually ignited my research interest in parenting practices, father involvement, and child development. Drawing upon my own upbringing and integrating it with my future research agenda is both a source of happiness and good fortune for me. I will continue to uphold my original aspirations and devote myself to conducting high-quality research in the years ahead.

-Dr. Li Nanxun, Research Assistant Professor at the Research Hub of Population Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Former CFPR Research Scholar, #HumansofCFPR