100 kindergardners "wed"
Children Married In Mock Chinese Wedding
A group of Chinese kindergartners recently got lessons in reading, writing and... romance?
More than 100 children from a kindergarten in China's Henan province got "married" in a mock wedding on Friday, according to local newspaper Zengzou Evening News. The exercise was a lesson in family life and relationships, the school's principal, Li Wang, told the paper.
The students chose their own partners, who they then had to "woo" (for example, by giving each other toys or chocolate). On the "wedding day," the girls wore wedding dresses and the boys wore suits as they exchanged rings and vows, which included promises such as sticking up for one another if they are bullied. Some of the kids even kissed.
Li said this ceremony wasn't the school's first, although it was the biggest. Click here to see photos.
"This teaches them about relationships and how to maintain them and what we should all be working towards," Li told the UK's Orange News. "They're taught to be kind and thoughtful."
Though the wedding had the support of the kids' parents, it has been criticized for potentially distorting the children's views of relationships, according to Women of China.
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I don't know. I like the whole "sticking up for one another if bullied" and no doubt it will create a lasting bond of friendship for the kids. But "wooing" ?
but that's just a personal preference. I just prefer that kids play kids games! Y'know running, jumping, skipping... leave the lovie dovie stuff for later!
its always gud to have a trial run
yess...i too was one of them and what an experience it was
wont it confuse the little ones?
I would agree. safer than Doctors and Nurses :O)
Well, at least it was a "mock" wedding...
I guess you could kind of look at it like that Brit. But China is fairly conservative, so I don't think having the kids enter into common-law living arrangements would fly their. :P
You all know how I feel about marriage (not necessary) and I still think the values they're teaching these kids is good. And they get the fun of playing dress up. Win-win!
As per one paper ..
"The ceremony is a good opportunity to instill the children with healthy views of marriage," the head of the kindergarten surnamed Li told the paper.
Teachers reportedly asked the question, "Why do you choose to marry," to which all the children responded at once - "because I love him (or her), after which the bridegrooms kneeled down and put wedding rings on their brides' fingers, hugged and kissed.
The teachers told the Zhengzhou Evening News that children who had participated in the ceremony were more responsible, had better relationships with other children and exhibited more confidence.
Could we label this as a form of indoctrination ?
Then just let them do it by themselves, do not do it for them. Just let it come out naturally.
miss mimi then when did u grow up :)
I remember doing a mock wedding with my "boyfriend" when I was in kindergarden. I think mock weddings go pretty hand in hand with childhood. It's playing at imitating adults.
Why don't we just let kids be kids? Why do we mess them up with grown-up stuff at such a young age?!
Of course Brit. But I think it makes more of an impact when you're a kid. People don't tend to get bullied much as adults. Or at least you shouldn't.
we divorce when we grow up
Don't we do the same when we grow up ?