While it may be that the young novices themselves seem happy with their lives, many people hold that they are too young to have a true understanding of even their own minds and are at a time of life when they need their parents 'care most. These critics regard the parents' decision to let them live at a monastery as irresponsible.
雖說小沙彌個個都似頗滿足出家的生活，到底這些仍是未成年、心智尚未成熟的孩子，一般人認為，無論如何，孩子最需要的是父母的照顧，把孩子丟給寺廟是不負責任的行為。