Long-term development

The mother of Chen Hongyi, a middle school student in Changsha, Hunan province, has a different attitude toward her son's performance in exams.

The boy sometimes achieves high scores, but does not perform so well at other times, according to his mother.

"I don't think parents should have overly high expectations for their children's academic performance. As long as they have tried their best, they should be satisfied with the results," the mother said.

While the parents of many of Chen's classmates have spent a great deal on academic tutoring courses, during the winter break he has mainly focused on developing his hobbies, such as soccer, basketball, painting and public speaking.

His mother said physical exercise can help Chen ease pressure, and painting is a good way for him to express his feelings.

"I am very satisfied with his performance, as he has shown he has extremely good qualities such as being confident, easygoing, efficient and good at handling pressure," she said.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and parents need to pay attention to their children's long-term development and short-term "ups and downs" along the way, the mother said.

"As long as my boy develops a positive world view and attitude toward life, I believe he will have a bright future," she added.