Comparing American and Chinese Parents

I'm Mario Ritter with the VOA Special English Education Report, from http://voaspecialenglish.com | http://facebook.com/voalearningenglish

Some American parents might think their children need better educations to compete with China and other countries. But how much do the parents themselves need to change? A new book called "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting. Ms. Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, and the mother of two daughters. She was raised in the American Midwest by immigrant Chinese parents. In the Chinese culture, the tiger represents strength and power. In her book, Ms. Chua writes about how she demanded excellence from her daughters. For example, she threatened to burn her daughter's stuffed animals unless she played a piece of music perfectly. She would insult her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations. Ms. Chua says she had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do. They could not attend a sleepover, have a play date, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play or get any grade less than an A.Many people have criticized Amy Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters. Ms. Chua makes fun of her own extreme style of parenting. She says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted "I hate my life! I hate you!" Ms. Chua says she decided to retreat when it seemed like there was a risk that she might lose her daughter. But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children's abilities.She says: "One of the biggest differences I see between Western and Chinese parents is that Chinese parents assume strength rather than fragility." Stacy DeBroff has written four books on parenting. She says the debate over Ms. Chua's book has to do with two questions. What does it mean to be a successful parent, and what does it mean to be a successful child?Ms. DeBroff says Amy Chua's parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children. But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised. And that's the VOA Special English Education Report. What are your thoughts about parenting styles and cultural differences? Tell us at voaspecialenglish.com or on Facebook at VOA Learning English. For VOA Special English, I'm Mario Ritter.

(Adapted from a radio program broadcast 17Feb2011)

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[LilSpiph]

This Amy Chue person is an absolute monster! I don't care where you're from, it's not okay to force a small child to sit down and learn a piano piece that they are to young to learn in one night for hours and hours on end without even letting them get up to use the bathroom! A child is a living breathing creatures with rights and thoughts and feelings. There's more to life than studying, and it isn't developmentally healthy to teach a child to do nothing but that!

[candymagic68]

Hi Ben

I been viewing lots of YouTube about all subjects

N found all that most human hv been program n tune to only use the brain n not use the feeling n heart. So we all r surrounded by woods n robots thats been brain wash with the psychology

No wonder one daughter abt my age keep telling her parents she got not enough money to show her gratitude for her parents.

It's her parents u know that she is alive now

. So why gv birth to more robots

Waste their life n our time

She makes 5000 per mth

[XplicitOwnz]

Thumbs Up If You Think My Parents Should Let Me Play Video Games whenever I want instead of controling my time and give permit to play

[littlegirl0017]

thank for your lesson. It's intersting

[BostonBruinsOWN]

my dads white and my moms chinese. my dad works in a mailroom and is well dumb and my mom does everything

[RyanMr79]

thank for your lessons. i do not know why this program the lady's voice is domination compare with gent.