Normally speaking, most people in UK always live separately with their parents after marriage. Because most people in UK believe that when they get aged, they need to make their own lives. While in China, it’s a common phenomenon that people live with their parents together after marriage, especially there is a new-born baby. On one hand, the new couple need their parents to support them if both of them go to work. On the other hand, parents prefer to live with their children when they get older. The second question is about who take charge of the mutual funds after marriage. Generally speaking, people in UK prefer to have economic independence. After marriage, they have a mutual funds from each bank. It’s used for the common expenditure. However, it’s very common that women take charge of the mutual funds. The husband make money outside and women take more consideration for arranging the family well. There are many similar about the question whether parents give children some financial support after marriage. Parents in UK can but not always give children financial help .When they get aged, they make their own life, the parents try to help them only if they have some big troubles, but it’s not expected. While in China, parents also seldom give children financial support after marriage. They give children financial support only if their children need to pay beyond their ability such as a big house.
There are also a lot commons for the questions whether there is maternity leave for new parents. In UK, generally speaking, there is 6 months with full pay for new mother and about 15 days for new father, it depends on their company or contract. In China, new mother can get 158 days off with pay and new father can get 15 days off to look after the new baby. However, there are also some differences. In UK, there is a government allowance for the new born child. It’s usually 10 or 12 pounds per week for the first child and 8 pounds or less for the second child. Each family get the government allowance until the children become 18 years old. While in China, there is no government allowance for children. Besides, there are a lot of differences about the question whether people have any gender preference for the children. In most UK family, there is no gender preference for the children. If any, just because all of the children are girls or boys, they are expected to have another gender child. However, in ancient China, most family especially grandparents have a gender preference for boy. Because it’s a traditional idea that boys take more responsibility to cheer family. Therefore, the boy get more privilege. But now people in China change their ideas a lot, both girls and boys can be treated equally.
People in China and UK have similar opinions about the question who takes more responsibility for educating children. Both of them think it’s co-responsibility for parents to educate children. In China, the mother may take more responsibility for educating children. However, there are a lot of differences about the queation do parents get involved in parenting. In UK, grandparents hardly get involved in parenting, they just help look after the grandchildren but no voice. But a lot of grandparents in China like to involve in parenting and cause a lot of family conflicts.For the question who takes responsibility for looking after the old people. In UK, people look after their parents if they live close to each other.For the rich old people, they can choose to go to the nursey home and enjoy the good service.For the poor old people, the government will give them some support. But there is no law set children have to look after their parents. However, children in China have to look after their parents by law. Therefore, most of the old people choose to live with their children together.
