Self-Reflection: Childhood, Children's protection and Child Agency in my Context.

I am from China, I used to be a teacher for 30 years, and I am also a child protection practitioner for 10 years. As a teacher, I serve children from wealthy urban families and as a child protection practitioner, I support children from  impoverished immigrant families in cities and help minority children in poor remote mountainous areas. What "childhood" and "children‘s decision-making" can vary widely among these groups, but there are some commonalities.

The child is seen as a nuclear individual within the Chinese family thanks to the one-child policy.  The child is viewed like a property of the family, especially in minority areas. for poor families children are expected to contribute to the household income from a relatively young age and might take on all kinds of work, including child labor and exploitation, to fulfill this role. however, the nature, location, and duration of their work is going to change from one context to another. children in Tibetan areas need to dig Cordyceps, a natural medicinal material, and girls in Yi ethnic areas always do embroidery for their own dowry.The girl's dowry will also bring an income to the family, and it is also the source of income for many families to marry a daughter-in-law. Because of the traditional custom of filial piety, after Chinese children grow up, they will still maintain close ties with their original families, including mutual financial support. Wealthy families raise their children as a tool to move up the social class and realize their dreams.

We don't have much voice to say anything about other people's children, and we can't interfere with family children's education. 

• Self-Reflection: Situating Children's Roles in Cultural Contexts