On Saturday, the Wall Street Journal published an excerpt from Yale law professor Amy Chua’s upcoming book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” entitled, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior—Can a regimen of no playdates, no TV, no computer games and hours of music practice create happy kids? And what happens when they fight back?”
Let me just say I think this article is completely over-the-top self-satisfied and insane (although I hear the book is more nuanced and conflicted).
Amy Chua’s hard-core parenting style which she provokingly calls “Chinese” parenting (when really what it is is incredibly hard-core, strict, high expectations parenting, common but by no means definitive of Chinese and Asian immigrant parents) includes a draconian regimen of no sleepovers, no playdates, no school plays, no TV or computer games, no choosing their own extracurricular activities, no grades less than an A, no being less than the number one student in every subject except gym and drama (now how would they even do that in all of China? It is not Lake Wobegon.), no instruments other than piano or violin, no not playing piano or violin.
I did all those things. My kids do all those things. In my writing, I recommend many of those things (especially school plays). Chua dismisses us — we are not really Chinese.
click on link for more There are other ways of being a Chinese mother than Amy Chua's Tiger Mother - AnnArbor.com
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