XI'AN - For Liu Xiaowei, 15, a grade three student at a middle school in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, this summer vacation is different from the ones he's experienced before. His father has decided to send him back to his home village.
"My father wants me to experience hardcore rural life. I'd like to try it as well," Liu said. "But I'm not sure if there's Internet available there, so I downloaded some games that I'd like to carry with me".
Liu Hengmin, the boy's father, who manufactures building materials, said: "The reason why I forced him to experience rural life is that his life has started revolving around computer games".
The businessman was born in a remote village in Gansu, a province neighboring Shaanxi. He came to Xi'an to make a living more than 20 years ago.
"I worked hard and eventually started my own business, which became successful and I could afford to start a family and provide for them. But my son, although 15 (years old), can barely take care of himself. He spends money recklessly," Liu Hengmin said.
After reading an article in a local newspaper, which said that boys from well-off families were turning out "lazy, timid and irresponsible", Liu had a discussion with his wife and the couple decided to send their son to their village to experience the rough side of life.
"Besides the experience, I want my son to be able to adapt to various environments," Liu said.
Like Liu, there are several other parents in the city who want to ensure a special "experience" for their sons this summer.
A restaurant owner, surnamed Zheng, worries about his son's health.
The boy is never interested in any physical exercise and is always glued to the computer, playing insignificant games, Zheng said.
"In my opinion, boys should be physically and psychologically strong. But in the city, they're weak and feminine. I am really worried about my son".
According to summer camp organizers, a number of parents are hoping to instill practical knowledge in their teenaged sons this summer with an aim to help them realize what manhood is all about.
Some of the kids understand their parents, but the others just feel like walking-talking experiments.
"My parents forced me to take training classes during my earlier vacations. Now, they want me to gain work experience. When do I get to decide what I want to do in my holidays?" said a 16-year-old boy surnamed Guo.
Wang Guoqi, director of the Xi'an Youth and Family Research Center, understands why parents would want their children to gain some practical knowledge about adult life early on, but assures children's character and habit do not change overnight.
"It is good to make children understand the concept of hard work and setbacks, but the results of the training take a long time to show," Wang said, adding, "If the boys are having difficulty adapting to rural life, there's no reason to force them to enjoy it".
Liu Wei, a middle school teacher in Xi'an, felt parents should consult with their sons as well as their teachers before making a vacation schedule for them.
According to a government survey on physical fitness of children and adolescents, boys' health has been declining over the past two decades.
Although their height and weight have increased, their vital capacity, speed and strength have been decreasing by the year.
According to the survey, boys are more inclined to use the Internet than girls, making them lethargic and physically inactive.
