Last night on New Year’s Eve, I went to Liberation Square for a while. There were still many people, but it didn’t feel as crowded as in previous years. Fewer balloons, calmer people—it feels like everyone’s view of excitement has changed.

Yes, I saw many videos online. Some people went to concerts, others stayed home watching the gala. It’s not that things are less lively, but that people have more choices. As people grow up, their mindset changes too.

Thinking about that, I suddenly felt emotional. We grow older year by year, but don’t you think today’s children are actually more ‘slow to mature’? Their bodies grow fast, but their minds can’t keep up.

I feel that very clearly at school. Many students lack basic life skills and panic at even small setbacks. Parents protect them too much—being unwilling to let children suffer actually harms them.

Exactly. When parents arrange everything for children, it looks responsible, but it takes away their chance to make mistakes. As the saying goes, ‘A fall makes you wiser.’ How can they grow without experiencing things?

And evaluation is too one-dimensional—only grades matter. In fact, the top students aren’t necessarily the happiest. I think children who stay in the middle and keep a balanced mindset often have more long-term potential.

The purpose of education isn’t to turn every child into ‘number one,’ but to help them live independently and feel happiness in the future. Just like New Year’s Eve—the excitement isn’t about numbers, but what’s in the heart.

Well said. In the new year, I hope children can grow at their own pace, and that we don’t focus only on grades. Let’s give them more of the real world. Even ordinary days can be full of warmth and vitality.