Why Chinese mothers are superior.

[kerry]

A very interesting piece on parenting.

By AMY CHUA

A lot of people wonder how Chinese parents raise such stereotypically successful kids. They wonder what these parents do to produce so many math whizzes and music prodigies, what it's like inside the family, and whether they could do it too. Well, I can tell them, because I've done it. Here are some things my daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to do:

View Full Image
CAU cover
Erin Patrice O'Brien for The Wall Street Journal

Amy Chua with her daughters, Louisa and Sophia, at their home in New Haven, Conn.
CAU cover
CAU cover

• attend a sleepover

• have a playdate

• be in a school play

• complain about not being in a school play

• watch TV or play computer games

• choose their own extracurricular activities

• get any grade less than an A

• not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama

• play any instrument other than the piano or violin

• not play the piano or violin.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html

[The Clk Man]

Cookie cutter kids are destined to be just like their parents for good or for bad.

[Hatterasguy]

Yep, and that's why no matter what we spend on education the situation won't improve. Not every problem can be fixed by throwing money at it.

When I didn't want to do something when I was little my parents kicked me in the a**.

[ILUVMILS]

Wow, what a fun childhood that must've been. I'm glad my Mom is Irish!!!

[kerry]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Yep, and that's why no matter what we spend on education the situation won't improve. .

Unless the money is used to import Chinese nannies.

[450slcguy]

Perhaps that is why the Chinese rely on the West for innovation and technology. Tell me, in the last 30 years, what products and/or technologies have the Chinese developed/invented? As far as I know, not one.

[cmac2012]

That sort of strict push for success can have a downside. When I was living at the Zen center in Berkeley, a Korean woman brought her 21-22 year old son to see the teacher (a Korean Zen monk). He was at U Cal in engineering. Had attempted suicide a week earlier and she was hoping we could give him the support he needed to recover in some way.

Dude had the deer in the headlights look. We were told he had been a 4.0 student, but it was clear he had poor social skills. He was to live with us, we tried to reach out to him but he had withdrawn from the world. A few days later, he succeeded in suicide, never having moved into our place.

The Korean drive to succeed academically is not too different than that of the Chinese.

[The Clk Man]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Yep, and that's why no matter what we spend on education the situation won't improve. Not every problem can be fixed by throwing money at it.

When I didn't want to do something when I was little my parents kicked me in the a**.

You have good parents my man.

[MTI]

I have seen quite often, the stresses and strains of Chinese American families, even though third and fourth generations have lived in the US, the cultural practices and exercise of power is still fairly strong.

Compared to many other cultures in the US, family and generational devotion is strong. There is also no question that economic coercion is still in play, with "family fortune" and the threat of being "cut off" still played.

[MTI]

Originally Posted by 450slcguy

Perhaps that is why the Chinese rely on the West for innovation and technology. Tell me, in the last 30 years, what products and/or technologies have the Chinese developed/invented? As far as I know, not one.

Thirty years in terms of Chinese history of innovation . . . a mere nanosecond. Kind of like critcizing the New York Yankees about their recent championship dry spell.

[daveuz]

Originally Posted by 450slcguy

Perhaps that is why the Chinese rely on the West for innovation and technology. Tell me, in the last 30 years, what products and/or technologies have the Chinese developed/invented? As far as I know, not one.

Calgone! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yW6vObBOVE

[kerry]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

That sort of strict push for success can have a downside. When I was living at the Zen center in Berkeley, a Korean woman brought her 21-22 year old son to see the teacher. He was at U Cal in engineering. Had attempted suicide a week earlier and she was hoping we could give him the support he needed to recover in some way.

Dude had the deer in the headlights look. Had been a 4.0 student we had heard but had very poor social skills. He was to live with us, we tried to reach out to him but he was shut down. A few days later, he succeeded in suicide, never having moved into our place.

The Korean drive to succeed academically is not too different than that of the Chinese.

It would be interesting to compare suicide rates and the reason for suicides between the cultures. I have a friend who is a college math teacher. International student from Asia walked out of class one day and jumped off the balcony outside the classroom in a suicide attempt (unsuccessful).

[ILUVMILS]

Amy Chua's list of no-no's doesn't surprise me at all. The children don't get to make any choices for themselves. Isn't that what Communism is all about?

[450slcguy]

Originally Posted by MTI

Thirty years in terms of Chinese history of innovation . . . a mere nanosecond. Kind of like critcizing the New York Yankees about their recent championship dry spell.

No, thirty years of recent history including the development and growth of the electronic/computer age.

What have they invented/developed? Can you name 1 thing?

It's a valid question when contemplating the advantages/disadvantages of strict discipline vs free thought/creativity.

[kerry]

Originally Posted by ILUVMILS

Amy Chua's list of no-no's doesn't surprise me at all. The children don't get to make any choices for themselves. Isn't that what Communism is all about?

No, it's what Confucianism is all about. Witness the Confucianism in the Unification Church. Marriages are arranged.