Anxious Chinese mothers turn to pricey ‘parent awakening camps’ for academic help

One camp features unique exercises where coaches blindfold parents and bind their limbs to experience how children feel under strict control

Controversial “parent awakening camps” are attracting anxious Chinese mothers willing to invest significantly in confronting gaming addiction and poor academic performance.

Promoted by an increasing number of family-education services on mainland social media, these programmes promise to transform parenting practices and mend strained family relationships.

Reports from mainland media indicate two primary models: traditional courses and lectures led by certified counsellors, and expensive schemes that have been criticised for exploiting parental anxiety through misleading claims and unqualified instructors.

Most participants are reportedly middle-aged women from traditional households, where men fulfil the role of breadwinners and women are expected to bear most domestic and child-rearing responsibilities.

Zhang Ruilian, a mother from eastern China’s Shandong province, invested nearly 30,000 yuan (US$4,500) in a so-called Wise Parents Awakening Camp, as noted by Jizhou Studio.