Parenting is different for everyone, but is any one way really better than the other? Amy Chua, a professor at Yale University, believes that the strict parenting style of Chinese mothers is the way to go. She believes that her strict and often harsh parenting style contributed to the success of her daughters. Chinese parents believe that if their children are successful, it is a reflection of the parents. Hanna Rosin, a contributing editor for the Atlantic, has very different views from Ms. Chua about the correct parenting style. Ms. Rosin believes that the more relaxed, nurturing, and self-led style of Western parenting is the better way to raise children. She believes that placing your children under immense pressure can produce …show more content…
The Western parent allows the child to show interest in a subject or activity, then allows them to explore this interest, whereas the Chinese style parent chooses school subjects and activities. Allowing the children to first show interest in an activity helps to set the child up for success. If the child likes an activity, they are more likely to practice or develop skills because they enjoy it, and are not being forced into it. This may help their self-esteem as well, because they will be doing something they like, instead of being forced to do something that they may not have a natural aptitude for and run the risk of failing. In addition to the close development choices of the Western parent, they try to enhance the social development as well. They do this by sending the children to sleep-away camps, or a friend’s house for a sleepover. The Chinese parent doesn’t allow the children to attend sleepovers, school dances, sports events, etc. I think some children of the Western parents love the way they were raised and allowed to explore and make their own decisions growing up. I also believe there may be some children of Western parents that wish their parents had been stricter, or pushed them more when they were younger. There are pros and cons to both parenting styles. Some pros from both sides are that the children are nurtured, receive all of the education
Many statistics back this up, including the survey Amy Chua used, which asked 50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers how they felt about academic success. The statistics showed 70% of the American parents thought that stressing academic success is not good for children while on the other hand, a broad majority of the Chinese mothers thought that academic success reflects upon successful parenting, and they truly believe that their children will be the the smartest students. Many studies have shown that Western parents and Chinese parents raise their children with a different mindset. According to the studies Amy Chua presents, a typical Chinese child spends 10 times longer than the Western child doing academic activities, but the Western child is also 10 times more likely to play a sport. A result of Chinese parents forcing their children to work harder has made society adjust to them and allows them to do things and get away with a Western parent would never think of or be able to get away with.
Parenting techniques are different around the world, which is strongly related to how culture has a direct impact on families (Nelson, Nelson, Hart, Yang, & Jin, 2016). For example, East Asian parents try to teach values of honesty, honour, and individualism to their children; meanwhile, Western parents are more likely to endorse a collectivist approach to life, with characteristics like unselfishness, obedience, and respect (Park, Coello, & Lau, 2016). The ways that a Canadian child and Japanese child grow up are very different. Cultures significantly influence both parents’ perceptions and their parenting behaviors.
In “Adapted from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” author Amy Chua argues that, instead of constantly praising a child for the slightest success, parents should only expect perfection from their children and nothing less. She explains that Western parents are not as strict on their children as Chinese parents are. That Western parents don’t believe in stressing educational success and that education should be something fun. In contrast, Chinese parents believe that academic success is very important and to get good at something it takes practice and hard work which may not seem fun at first but in the long run the activity becomes fun once mastered. Chua also believes that Chinese parents can get away with things that Western parents cannot such as calling their child garbage after being misbehaved. Chua states three main differences between Western parents and Chinese parents.
I can see the positive and negative in both methods. The fundamental problem with all parents is selfishness. When Western parents don't do enough to help their kids reach their potential, they are selfish, and probably too busy doing what we feel like doing. And when Chinese parents force kids to do what will bring the parents praise, they are selfish too. I think that the correct approach is a balance between Chinese and Western parenting, with the focus being on commitment to your children. If parent can find the balance between these two types then both sides will have succefull children. I really believe Western parental method and Chinese parental method can both be used. You can't be too soft and too hard. You have to balance it out.
There are quite a few differences between Western parents and Chinese parents. The author brings up these differences in her article. People often question how Chinese parents raise such successful children. They have very harsh punishments to make sure their kids are performing to their best potential. When Western parents are being harsh, they usually aren't coming close to the harshness of Chinese parents. Chinese parents think that when people see they have successful kids it means that they have successful parents. Chinese parents work their kids so much hard than Western parents because they want their kids to be academically successful. As Western parents want their kids to be successful in extracurricular activities like sports and music. Chinese parent believe that
Western parents allow their children to to accept that fact that they got a bad grade on some assignment, while Chinese parents make their children correct whatever they did wrong. Chinese parents order their children to get exceptional grades, while Western parents can only ask their children to do well. Chua says, “If a child came home with an A- on test, a Western parent will most likely praise the child, but the Chinese mother will gasp in horror and ask what went wrong”(Chua 307). Chinese parents believe their children are capable of doing anything as long as they work hard at achieving it. Western parents can only help their children do well in school by trying to prepare them, and not pushing too hard. Chinese parents think that their children owe them everything and not the other way around. This is most likely because Chinese parents work very hard at raising capable children, and that they have worked hard to make them productive in life. Therefore, the parents expect much in return. Chua says “my husband Jed actually has
It is true that the ways the parents raise their children will decide how well the children grow, especially the mothers who impact their children the most. There is no right or wrong in how a mother takes care of her children. All of them want the best for their children. The only difference is the level of intensity in how to raise a child. In Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior, Amy Chua, a professor at Yale Law School believes that the ways Chinese mothers raise their children are the most effective ways. Her main purpose of this article is to state the differences between Western mothers and Chinese mothers which
The greatest principle is to maintain harmonious relationships with all. Therefore, the Asian culture, especially the Chinese society, stresses the cultural notion of training. Chinese parenting is often misunderstood because it is frequently viewed as restrictive, controlling and authoritarian. Chinese children are expected to have unquestionable obedience to parents. Chinese American parents maintain the concept of chiao shun, which means, “training”. The process of child rearing is to train a child through education and teachings. The reason why parents have an obligation to train their child is further explained in the scholarly journal, Beyond Parental Control and Authoritarian Parenting Style: Understanding Chinese Parenting through the Cultural Notion of Training, it is “To adhere to socially desirable and culturally approved behavior.”(Chao, 1994, pg. 1112) Child rearing/Training is done by exposing children to proper behavior and regulating exposure to unacceptable behavior. Training is not restricting, it is actually supportive, involves physical availability of parents, and fulfils a child's basic everyday needs. Mothers are usually the ones who create a close relationship with their child though. The other concept, guan is “to govern” but it also means “to care for/to love”. As a Chinese parent it is a social requirement to be able to govern one's child. The reason that a parent/teacher must have control over their kid is to teach them respect and allegiance. The standard of Chiao shun and guan are set in place and carried out by the Asian society and by Asian American parents. The main purpose of the misinterpreted Asian styles of parenting is not for utter dominance but instead for the integrity of the family and to sustain social
Because America is such a diverse country, there are many differences between cultures of various immigrant groups. Members of each culture, have their own beliefs and values regarding what they think is right. The cultural diversity allows for each person to have a different view of things. Amy Chua’s essay “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior,” she describes her way of parenting her two daughters following Chinese values about education. She explains how Western parents are much more lenient than Chinese parents with their children and education. Chua gives examples of how she raised her daughter Lulu and Sophia which lead them to achieve success. She makes comparisons between Western and Chinese parenting styles throughout the essay and concludes that both types of parents want the best for their children, but just approach parenting it in different ways. In the article, “Chinese vs Western Mothers: Q&A with Amy Chua,” Amy Chua is interviewed by Belinda Luscombe where she clarifies how her Chinese method of parenting did not hurt her children the way many readers thought it did. Chua explains that her relationship with her two daughters is very strong and believes there are many effective ways of parenting in addition to the Chinese approach. Chua’s essay shows the Chinese immigrant approach to parenting and gives insight into why so many children of Chinese parents are so successful. Discussing the cultural differences shows the risk of stereotyping groups where feelings
Chua says that there is tre differences between the western and the Chinese parenting. First of all western parents are concerned about their children’s lives and psyche. The Chinese parents are not. As mentioned before Chinese parents do not expect anything less than top-grades.
Chinese mothers being superior and any mother claiming that their way of parenting will always be biased. Every mother is going to think that their way of parenting is the best way. Especially parents that create a prodigy. It could be the parenting or the child was just born smart. Either way, that parent is going to claim they did something better than another parent, even though there is no way to prove it. There are too many factors that play into this topic to prove which parenting method is the most superior.
One day, Amy Chua decided to write an essay called, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” Amy Chua is a professor at Yale Law School. Chua is a Chinese woman with two daughters. In the essay, Chua compared the differences between Chinese and Western parenting styles. There are different ways of parenting being used everywhere; the four main parenting styles include, Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive, and Uninvolved. In the essay Chua made it clear that Western and Chinese parenting styles differ. I tend to agree, as well as disagree with the examples and statements Chua used to compare the way they differ. I believe Chua did an amazing job contrasting Chinese and Western parenting styles.
Chinese parents that have immigrated to the United States from China are known to have an Authoritative approach to child-rearing. In a study done by Cindy Lin, parents from China (Taiwan), immigrant Chinese living in America, and American parent’s child-rearing practices were compared. In her study she found that Chinese parents tend to control their children more than American Parents, as well as be less
There is many questions on how to parent a child in order to help them be successful in life. Although parenting style various greatly, most all parents put into practice what regulations in which they think will help their child succeed in life. Some parents, known as Chinese parents are extremely strict, and on the other end of the spectrum there is western parents, who do not expect as much from their child. In Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom,” Chua explains what it is like to have Chinese parenting techniques. She attempts to justify the struggles, beliefs, and methods of Chinese parents, as compared to western parents, and how they both have the end goal - to prepare their child to succeed in life.
According to Amy Chua, Chinese parents are superior to Western parents because they are strict and controlling. Chinese parents don’t allow their kids to get any grade less