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Support is good, but too much parental
involvement might have a negative impact

on their independence

the Department of Early es her daughter to try sorting out eve-
Childhood Education of rything relating to her studies herself.
the Education University Lau points out family support is
of Hong Kong, says fam- important for university students. She
ily support continues to believes the right
be a significant factor that way for parents
impacts on university stu- to support their
dents’ self-esteem, well- children is to
being and adjustment to have empathy
their university life during for their chil-
the first year of their study. dren and com-
“Support is good, but municate with
too much parental involve- them, rather Eva Lau Yi-hung
ment might have a negative than to completely take over and di-
impact on their independ- rectly engage in their lives. And chil-
ence,” says Lau. dren need to learn to be independent
As a mother of two, Lau and update their parents about their
reveals she does not engage school life on a regular basis.
in her children’s school life “By sharing more information and
directly. Though she joins telling them [the parents] that I’m in-
a WhatsApp group of her dependent enough, parents will even-
elder daughter’s primary tually learn to let go,” says Lau.
school from which she
can get useful information
such as school system and
curriculum, she encourag- Edited by Fangdong Bai

Regulations of a CUHK parent chat group

Mainland parents have to undergo strict vetting pro-
cess before being allowed to join a chat group