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Chinese Father Teaches Son Life Lesson Through Food Delivery Experience
A Chinese businessman challenged his 14-year-old son to work as a food delivery rider to demonstrate the realities of labor after the boy dismissed the importance of his studies.
According to a report by Khaosod Online Thailand, a businessman named Hao Jie from Yiwu, Zhejiang, China, recently took a unique approach to address his 14-year-old son’s lack of academic motivation. When the teenager suggested that he could simply work as a food delivery rider instead of focusing on his education, his father decided to let him experience the profession firsthand.
During the school break, the father provided his son with a starting capital of 100 yuan (approximately 480 baht) and required him to manage all aspects of the job, including route planning, order fulfillment, and daily expense management, while the father only provided transportation. Over the course of nearly 20 days, the boy faced significant challenges, including extreme heat, complex navigation, and the inherent stress of the service industry.
For residents and travelers in Thailand, where the food delivery sector is a ubiquitous part of daily life, this story highlights the often-overlooked physical and mental demands placed on gig workers. While the father observed a positive shift in his son’s maturity and ability to handle pressure, it remains to be seen how this temporary experience will influence the boy's long-term academic performance. This account serves as a reminder of the labor intensity behind the convenience services frequently utilized by the public.