Besides personal computers, cell phones and cameras, cars, stocks and houses have become the latest gifts from parents to their children entering colleges as the new school year nears. China Daily mobile news readers share their views on this.

The reason why university is called a "half-society" is that children are supposed to learn to deal independently with life issues such as money, interpersonal relationships and personal future development. However, they remain "flowers in the greenhouse" when their parents deal with every problem and they remain helpless without their parents' protection and material support. I think parents should leave some space for their children to learn self-reliance.

Sev7ella, Shanghai

No matter whether they are latest model or not, these trendy gifts, which are not actually daily necessities for college life, are all bought by parents for their freshmen children. New university students should not ask for inessential gifts just to satisfy their vanity. If they really need something, they can do part-time work or win scholarships to buy things themselves.

Qiqi, Zhengzhou, Henan province

China's development is so imbalanced that children from wealthy families own all kinds of trendy stuff while many rural kids with great dreams and high hopes are forced to quit school because they cannot afford the tuition fees. The overindulgence of rich parents not only deprives their children opportunities for social development, but also creates imbalances on campus, which gradually makes students interested solely in money.

Xiaoqiang, Changchun, Jilin province

What parents want to give their children is love, only it comes in different forms. But most times, when it evolves from love to overindulgence, there are always bad consequences. These gifts will inevitably cause competition between students and deprive them of the painstaking and arduous spirit they should be cultivating.

Ami, Shanghai

The rise in value of the gifts not only shows how wealthy the parents are, but also reveals the indifference of these parents to a humanistic education. Perhaps an adult-like talk about ideals, life and love is what their children need more.

Xinyisheng, Liu'an, Anhui province

All freshmen should understand that we need a wide vision and abundant knowledge, which can be learnt and explored in university, to create a better life. The happiest journey is one you create yourself, where you enjoy the material fruits you gain yourself.

Weiming, Zhuzhou, Hunan province

(China Daily 08/29/2011 page9)