Raising a child properly is important to parents. In China, the biggest issue for Chinese parents is how to raise their children properly. Chinese parents believe an old saying: talented apprentices trained by strict master(s). This old saying inspires Chinese parents that a child has to be treated strictly to make sure that the child becomes a talented person. Therefore, Chinese parents treat their children strictly even though Chinese parenting methods are different. Both "Why Chinese Mother Are Superior" and "Two Kinds" have shown that Chinese parents prefer to schedule their children’s spare time. Chinese parents want their children to maximize the value of time by giving their children a lot of practice. They prepare a lot of academic and music-related exercise for their children. In the article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” Amy Chua doesn’t allow her daughters watch TV and play video game and asks them to practice their instruments two or three hours per day.in addition, in “Two Kinds,” every night after dinner Mrs. Woo, the mother of Jing-mei, would give Jing-mei new tests and demands her daughter to practice piano two hours a day after the mother sees a little Chinese girl playing piano on TV. Both Amy and Woo show us that they control their children’s spare time and ask or compel their children to do something that they think that is good for their children. Both Amy Chua and Mrs. Woo have very high expectations for their children, but their expectations are different, and the results are different. They want their children to be successful. Amy Chua asks her children to be straight A students, and she forces her seven-year old daughter to play a piano piece that “is incredibly difficult for young player” (Chua... ... middle of paper ... ...the daughter refuses to practice piano, the mother shouts to her daughter “ ‘Only two kinds of daughters,’ ‘ Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!’ ” (Tan 8). Both mothers threaten their children when their children break their rules. Chinese parents think children must obey them because they know what is best for their children. All in all, there are various Chinese parenting methods, but the common ground is that Chinese parenting is strict. Strictness is the symbol of Chinese parenting. Because of strictness, almost all of American parents think this parenting style is not good for children’s development. However, Chinese students’ ranking keeps rising in the world in reading, science, and math. Depending on that, should more parents consider using Chinese parenting method?
One of the greatest examples Tan presents in her story, is Suyuan’s unrelenting goal of turning Jing Mei into a prodigy. The Ed Sullivan Show brings Suyuan into making her daughter take piano lessons (601). Another example of this cultural conflict is when Jing Mei wants badly to express to her mom to let her be. Unlike her mother, Jing Mei doesn’t believe she could be anything, she could only be herself (606,607). According to the previously mentioned article, “Intergenerational Cultural Conflicts in Norms of Parental Warmth Among Chinese American immigrants, immigrant parents gravitate towards maintaining the values of their country of origin, even though the dominant culture also calls for socialization to American society. In the the Chinese culture, one is expected to be hardworking and
In “Two Kinds”, the mother is constantly demanding respect from her daughter. It reminded me of when a friend of mine said, “I’m my own Chinese mother” while she was preparing for finals week. Is it culturally understood that Chinese mothers are strict? At the end of the story, the mother, very upset, demands:
For both Amy Chua and her daughters, growing up under the "Chinese" parenting style has been a trial. But through exhibiting confidence in what her girls can do, maintaining great expectations of what they can achieve, and most importantly devoting as much direct time as possible to raising the girls, Amy has shown that a great resolve to see her children do well can return outstanding results. She parented at 110 percent so that her kids could know how great they be living at 110 percent, or, to put it a more "Chinese Mother" way, extra credit is always worth doing.
It is obvious that the methods adopted by Chinese women are highly effective due to the strictness of their nature and so, have led to positive reformation among children. I would suggest that Western mothers should adopt the method employed by Chua and other Chinese mothers to raise their children. A strict upbringing will have a positive consequence among children and that these children will further develop a good understanding of positive social behavior. As a result of a strict upbringing, majority of the Chinese children are well educated, but at the same time, social life is critical in as far as child development is concerned, therefore, creating a balance between the western and Chinese upbringing methods is imperative in order to enhance a positive child
As Amy Chua (2011) points out, there are three differences in the mindsets of Chinese and Westerners when it comes to parenting. The author starts the article with several stories to demonstrate these glaring differences: Chinese parents believe their kids are "the best;" Chinese parents force their children to practice a subject until they master and enjoy it; and Chinese parents call their offsprings "garbage" and "fat" to make them improve. However, according to Chua, the Chinese parenting method, strange to Westerners, has created successful sons and daughters.
To be more specific, authoritarian parents are close to their children because they usually get involved in their child’s every activity. According to Amy Chua, the author of “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”, she claims that, “Chinese parents spend approximately 10 times as long every day drilling academic activities with their children.” Chua’s point is that Chinese parents are likely to spend time with their kids to make sure that their kids are doing well and safe. For example, when kids have assignments from school, helicopter parents would help with their kids’ homework. Some strict parents may not teach their kids’ homework, but they would force or push their kids to do homework by keeping an eye on them. In this way, raising children by forcing and controlling them also makes children more successful in their academic skills because children would develop a sense of
The Chinese mothers, so concentrated on the cultures of their own, don't want to realize what is going on around them. They don't want to accept the fact that their daughters are growing up in a culture so different from their own. Lindo Jong, says to her daughter, Waverly- "I once sacrificed my life to keep my parents' promise. This means nothing to you because to you, promises mean nothing. A daughter can promise to come to dinner, but if she has a headache, a traffic jam, if she wants to watch a favorite movie on T.V., she no longer has a promise."(Tan 42) Ying Ying St.Clair remarks- "...because I remained quiet for so long, now my daughter does not hear me. She sits by her fancy swimming pool and hears only her Sony Walkman, her cordless phone, her big, important husband asking her why they have charcoal and no lighter fluid."(Tan 64)
There are big differences in how Chinese mothers act towards their children compared to Western mothers including the expression of feelings and approval, the worth of their children, and what is best for them. Amy Chua (2011) incorporates her own personal experiences of being a Chinese mother within her article and compares that to what she witnesses in America.
She is not wrong that the majority of American parents are more lenient when it comes to rules, grades, and behavior. She once describes that while “Chinese parents can order their kids to get straight As. Western parents can only ask their kids to try their best,” (Chua, 306), which is quite true in American culture. Many parents in this country are more worried about how their children feel about themselves academically and socially, rather than how successful they truly are at that given time. Chua is also correct in saying that all parents really just want what’s best for their kids, they just have different beliefs about how to do that. While these ideas are true, the rest of Chua’s claims do not come across quite as
Most parents want what is best for their children even if that means pushing them to their limits. Every parent is different in how they raise their child, some are strict, some are carefree, and some try to act like best friends to their children. Amy Chua is a mother of two girls and she chose to raise them like a chinese parent instead of an american parent. Chua wrote an article called Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother which explains how she raised her children and how different chinese parents are from american parents.
Chinese parenting is competent at times but there are other times where it is more suitable to follow other forms of parenting such as the Western style.These findings have important consequences for the broader domain of parent-child relationships. Whether it is Chinese parenting or Western parenting the relationship between family members is crucial. According to Amy Chua, Chinese parenting is more effective in helping the child attain a better future through the parents’ interests, while Western parenting style reflects mainly the interests of the child.
...ith Jing Mei and her mother, it is compounded by the fact that there are dual nationalities involved as well. Not only did the mother’s good intentions bring about failure and disappointment from Jing Mei, but rooted in her mother’s culture was the belief that children are to be obedient and give respect to their elders. "Only two kinds of daughters.....those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind!" (Tan1) is the comment made by her mother when Jing Mei refuses to continue with piano lessons. In the end, this story shows that not only is the mother-daughter relationship intricately complex but is made even more so with cultural and generational differences added to the mix.
Chinese families and American families have a big impact in their child’s life. Chinese families as well as American families’ value education. The reason why American families believe education is important for their kids because he or she as the “parent” is responsible for their child education. “Researchers” have understood that “parents” “involvement” with their child help their children to do better in schools and throughout their life’s. For example, it takes a village to raise a child that saying is so true because people like families, friends and the community play a big part in a child life. Consequently, American parents work, from pay check to pay check to put their children in school.
“Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” is an excerpt from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua, a Yale Law professor. In this excerpt the author explains why Chinese children tend to be more successful in life and expresses her dislike towards Western parenting. The first idea Chua explains is a list of activities her daughters are allowed to do and not do in order to focus solely on academic progress. Second, the author demonstrates the contrast in mindset between Chinese mothers and Western mothers by explaining how Chinese mothers feel differently than Western mothers in regards to academic success and learning. Furthermore, she describes how Chinese mothers can demand things from their children. Finally, they can also say
First, Chinese family and American play a big role in there and community. Chinese families as well as American families value education. The reason why American families believe education is important for their kids because he or she as the parent is responsible for their child education. ‘Researchers” have understood the “parents” involvement with their children help their children to do better in schools and throughout their lives. For example it takes a village to raise a child that saying is so true because people like families, friends and the community play a big part in a child life. This is why American parents work from pay check to pay check to put their children in school. Sometimes American families can need financial support to pay for their children education; American families also word hard to show their children to do the same. American families know at times the school districts are poor this is why most American families struggle to get a good education for their children. Chinese and American family values are different, such as education, money, and how they treat family, what is important to them in family life is similar in ways.