Chinese society has gone through anastonishing transformation
over the past 30 years.
In 1979, afraid that an exploding population would slow down economic growth
the Chinese government instituted a one-child policy.
It didn't end until 2015.
Mett and his wife Lena live in a coastal city just south of Beijing.
They have a sweet little girl called Zimo.
Mett is lucky
his wife's parents are educated and well off.
They even helped finance the apartment Mett's family is living in,
in part because it gives them access to their one and only grandchild.
Both Mett and Lina work full-time
so Zimo spends the day with her grandparents
who live next door.
She immediately sets off on an adventure with her grandfather.
His love for his grandchild is palpable.
They're heading for the supermarket.
The top floor to be exact.
Grocery stores in China have figured out how to cash in on doting grandparents.
Nothing says the adults can't have a little fun as well,
but Grandpa Chen never takes his eyes off Zimo.
China's one-child policy has created a family structure
they call "4 2 1".
Four grandparents, two parents, and one child.
The children are known as "Single Family Treasures"
and grandparents will do anything for them.
With 320 million working moms in China
grandparents are becoming more and more involved.
In Shanghai over 90 percent of children under 3
are taken care of by at least one grandparent -
often the men.
Many were so busy working
that they missed their own children's early years
and are making up for lost time.
The children benefit enormously -
they couldn't be in better hands.
The parents save on the cost of childcare,
which in urban China can be cripplingly expensive.
Though for the grandparents
it can be exhausting to entertain a small child full-time.
There may be an unexpected downside to all that love and attention...
The Chinese call it "Little Emperor Syndrome".
Some fear that the current generation is getting spoiled
and may ultimately have a harder time putting society's needs before their own.
In the meantime all that ready child care gives overworked parents a welcome break.
Mett gets to spend one night a week playing basketball
and then going out to dinner with his friends.
China's one-child policy has averted 400 million births since 1980
and has certainly accelerated the country's economic development.
But China may soon start paying for its grand social experiment.
Children are still expected to care for their elders.
These kids may one day have to support two parents
and four grandparents.
This is why the government ended the one-child policy -
probably too late.
The expected baby boom never happened.
it turns out that lots of Chinese families
are happy with just one child.