(ECNS) - Chinese parents are under growing pressure during parent-teacher meetings at elementary schools, the Wuhan-based newspaper Changjiang Daily has reported.

In the Wuchang district of Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hunan province, a woman surnamed Lu spent a whole afternoon buying a new skirt for the final meeting of the spring semester.

Lu was not only worried about her daughter's academic performance, but also concerned that she would embarrass her child by not dressing well.

The daughter, a third grader, said her classmates critiqued their parents' appearance, and that there was even a "beauty list" ranked by the children.

Lu said she had barely ranked in the middle of the list, adding that she had to pay more attention to her clothes, while other mothers competed to be smarter.

"I had to go to a hair salon and buy a new dress each time there was a conference meeting," said Lu.

A colleague of Lu said a mother was dissuaded by her son from attending a meeting, because she was short.

Psychologist Liu Yu said it is normal for children to make comparisons in school, but parents should not bow to their children's demands, as it only reinforces peer pressure.