Chinese kindergarten charges parents for kids' hugs

Yangzhou - There are no free hugs at this Chinese kindergarten in Yangzhou City, where teachers are giving daily hugs to children for just under $13 a month.

Parents of children attending the kindergarten in east China's Yangzhou City, are being charged a "hug fee" of 80 Yuan (around $12.80), for one hug on arrival at the school, and another hug on departure, according to a Chinese media report. This news apparently surfaced online recently, when a Chinese blogger released the information. The blogger, known as "Langmanhongchen", blogged that his friend's daughter attended the Shangmao Kindergarten in the Jiangdu District of the city, and that the school was charging 80 yuan a month for the so-called "hugging fee". Part of his blog read, "Parents were told by teachers that hugging will put their children in a good mood." According to some parents, they thought the charge was officially called a "quality education fee", and while they knew that the teachers hugged their children, they had no idea it was a prepaid option. According to the school, hugs are one component of a quality education, aimed at making children feel loved, secure and more confident. All well and good, but the local school board has found that this practice violates educational rules. Officials say that if the information about the fee is confirmed by investigators, the school will have to return the money to the parents. The investigation is apparently still ongoing. What do you think? Shouldn't a kindergarten teacher hug the kids for free?