Members of the Brosis group led by Xiao Xiyu (L3) and their sponsor Zhang Caiping (R3) [why.com.cn]

A group of high school students in Shanghai conducted a survey over the recent holiday season, to find out how elder brothers and sisters feel about their parents having a "second child."

Led by teenager Xiao Xiyu, the group, who named themselves Brosis, quizzed over 1,500 parents with two children over the older children's "Happiness."

The eight youngsters also asked 127 parents about "Interpersonal Sensitivity" and 115 on their youngsters' "Sense of Responsibility."

The results of the month-long program are expected to be released soon.

The idea of carrying out such a project came from Xiao's own personal experience. "One day when I was busy preparing for the high-school entrance exam, my mother came in and told me the big news that I was to have a younger brother or sister!"

Xiao almost "collapsed" over the surprise. "I'm going to study abroad for three years, and my younger sibling might not even recognize me when I come back, since he or she would only be 3 then. The little guy may think of me as an 'uncle'..."

"There are so many families in China that plan to have a second kid. Have all these parents considered about the feelings of the older child before making the decision," Xiao pondered.

With such a concern, he and his friends moved ahead with the latest scheme, in the hope that their efforts will make a difference to readers of the study, and make parents pause for thought.

Having been turned down over and over again, the high school team eventually found a helping hand for their initiative in terms of professional instruction and financial support.

"The Brosis members wrote me a letter before the Spring Festival, hoping that I could offer them some prizes to thank the respondents," said Zhang Caiping, a business founder in the city.

When she asked how many prizes were needed, Xiao replied "10."

Despite the generous offer of some 200 shares in Zhang's company, in the end the team accepted just 12. Zhang was moved. "I would have asked my own parents for the money back in my high school days."

"Younger generations born around the year 2000 are concerned with social and family issues, much more than we have expected. They are not just 'playing games' as some netizens have criticized," said Zhang.

(Source: China Youth Daily/Translated and edited by Women of China)

Editor: Eileen Cheng(Women of China)