Studies on the effect of only-child status on girls' education indicate that the only-child policy has had an unintended consequence of engendering a child-centered culture with a strong belief and shared interest among the urban community in educating the only-child regardless of the child's sex. As the distribution of education by sex is frequently argued to be a key determinant for gender inequality, this finding seems to carry an unquestioned message that gender equality has been largely achieved for the only-child generation. So far, however, few studies have examined parental gender-specific expectations for their only children as an important factor in preparing boys and girls for their different school and social experiences. Based on data collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 families in north China, this paper explores parental gender-specific expectations of their only-children. Parents' SES is also considered in order to see how class may interact with gender in parents' expectations for boys and girls as only-children. The study reveals patterns of differences in parental expectations based on gender, and to a lesser degree, class. The author argues that it would be over-optimistic to believe that only-child status and the equally high academic aspirations parents hold for boys and girls have done away with all the deep-rooted factors against gender equality in Chinese society. Drawing on Bourdieu's social theory, the author discusses the implications of the findings and provides suggestions for policy efforts and further research.