In China, couples are hiring 'professional parents' for their children's upbringing as career focused parents are giving employment to educated 'child companions', as reported by South China Morning Post.
The 'child companion's' job is to focus on the child's academics as well as their mental health.
A PhD student of psychology interviewed 'child companions'. The student wrote about them on Xiaohongshu , a Chinese social media platform saying that most of them are very well educated, and have graduated from universities like Harvard, Cambridge, Tsinghua.
They also have a lot of skills ranging from academics to sports and language.
The publication citing other reports said that these 'child companions' are usually hired through social media platforms. The clients who hire them usually belong to high-net-worth families. The clients often consider hiring 'child companions' over relying on grandparents for the upbringing of their kids.
What makes 'child companions' different from tutors is that they invest themselves deeply into the children's daily lives. They carry out all the duties that the parents do, for example taking them to the doctor, travelling with them, listening to their emotional needs and caring for them.
The working hours vary for each 'child companion'. As per the publication, Song Siyu from Chongqing in southwest China works from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. During this time, she stays with the child and helps them with homework, take them outdoors for various activities like football and swimming.
The monthly salary of the companions can range from 10,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan roughly (Rs 117,061 to Rs 351,183 approximately).
As per a report by Southern People Weekly, there is a high demand for female professionals. Shura, a 'child companion' said that the reason for this could be because "professional mums" are needed for raising the children. However, families who want to build an athletics development for their kids, hire male 'child companion', Shura said.
"Parents often refuse (male companions) because they think men might not be suitable for taking care of their girls," she said.
However, the downside of this new culture is that in some cases the children can be emotionally attached to the companion than their own parents. In one such case, companion named Susu told the publication that a boy that she was looking after, had an argument with his mother after which he said that he wants the companion to be his mother.
Netzines have various opinions on this job, many believing that the word 'parent' holds a lot of importance.
A user said on social media platform Weibo, "We shouldn't call them 'professional' parents. They're just paid experts in certain areas. The word 'parent' has a much deeper emotional meaning,"