 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
‘Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior’ fuels parenting controversy January 12, 2011 Nancy J. White Living Reporter Amy Chua’s two daughters were never allowed to attend sleepovers, play any instrument other than the piano or violin, have play dates, watch television or get any grade less than an A. Chua, a Yale University law professor, called her daughter “garbage” for being disrespectful, and she unbendingly insisted on three hours of music practice a day. This ultrastrict parenting style is why Chinese kids are so successful, insists Chua, the author of the controversial Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Her new book has sparked a call-to-arms on websites and blogs, where parents are taking sides on Eastern or Western child rearing. Some call Chua an abuser, others see her as a hero. An excerpt in the Wall Street Journal, titled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” has garnered more than 3,400 online comments. “I am aghast that she seems to be proud of carrying on the ‘old country way.’ This kind of upbringing results in automatons and/or damaged people,” writes one woman. “Amy, you’re awesome,” writes another. “Parents are the ones in charge of their children, not the other way around. I’m sick and tired of hearing Westerners cater to their children and then wonder why the kids are disrespectful brats.” In Toronto, Chua’s mandate for mothers is also causing a stir. “I’m getting emails. It’s going around,” says Karen Sun, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter. The group considered issuing a statement but decided against it, since the book represents Chua’s personal opinions. “We feel she’s drumming up controversy to sell more books,” says Sun, who finds some of the author’s parenting techniques emotionally abusive. Because of the stereotype of the rigid Chinese parent, Sun’s group last year used parent ambassadors to get a clearer sense of child-rearing in the community. Some parents felt it was important to be strict and maintain the kind of homework schedule they had been used to in China, she explains. But all the parents they worked with seemed to seek a middle path, incorporating Canadian-style parenting and the school system. As for her own upbringing in Toronto, Sun says she enjoyed lots of play dates and watched a lot of television. But any grade under 80 per cent was definitely frowned upon. “I was top of my class until junior high school, then I fell to second,” remembers Sun with a laugh. “Another Chinese girl beat me out.” http://www.facebook.com/l/753acdI9MJ9vc-q7xFFaBYKdliA;www.parentcentral.ca/parent/articlePrint/920534
% W W Q( j1 V! _0 N: z1 rVictor Wong 1:27pm Jan 12. C8 }% ?: j% z- a ~
‘Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior’ fuels parenting controversy
& y+ q# \; g8 `& a' a4 }$ v6 o. C+ L8 K. p
January 12, 2011
+ G: i$ Q# E- o: b* e6 R7 f) h+ YNancy J. White9 a+ e* M0 a, H) h e6 Z9 R
( A* p3 a! S9 u; m5 `+ f0 ?Living Reporter
c- J2 `$ O, V0 _1 g# p% V, y' T0 S% h E/ @
Amy Chua’s two daughters were never allowed to attend sleepovers, play any instrument other than the piano or violin, have play dates, watch television or get any grade less than an A.. V8 K W- G& _! D1 _+ V
1 a; c/ q! K4 @0 q" L3 B
Chua, a Yale University law professor, called her daughter “garbage” for being disrespectful, and she unbendingly insisted on three hours of music practice a day. This ultrastrict parenting style is why Chinese kids are so successful, insists Chua, the author of the controversial Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.+ q5 G% P, \, L2 D9 f* h
8 g; i6 M2 b4 ?0 ?; UHer new book has sparked a call-to-arms on websites and blogs, where parents are taking sides on Eastern or Western child rearing. Some call Chua an abuser, others see her as a hero.
' M. O z; @; e) }# I. b
- p: L4 c$ Z, V* L& R3 `; H4 AAn excerpt in the Wall Street Journal, titled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” has garnered more than 3,400 online comments.5 J$ ~& t) \( \& S! i" z7 @) Y1 u) P
1 o/ U. h$ E4 A9 j8 v
“I am aghast that she seems to be proud of carrying on the ‘old country way.’ This kind of upbringing results in automatons and/or damaged people,” writes one woman.
* ~, x: d+ c6 }; f& j4 v |& j# M- T' D9 I ^7 M
“Amy, you’re awesome,” writes another. “Parents are the ones in charge of their children, not the other way around. I’m sick and tired of hearing Westerners cater to their children and then wonder why the kids are disrespectful brats.”
/ F7 c8 ?' e- m- a; N* ^0 C
5 w+ T7 j" G3 @: B' a: f' @In Toronto, Chua’s mandate for mothers is also causing a stir. “I’m getting emails. It’s going around,” says Karen Sun, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter.* J, ], V5 X; g, z2 m' Z: O5 P% g
z4 o" \/ E+ [9 A0 d0 j, m2 x
The group considered issuing a statement but decided against it, since the book represents Chua’s personal opinions. “We feel she’s drumming up controversy to sell more books,” says Sun, who finds some of the author’s parenting techniques emotionally abusive.1 G4 F$ [ M6 N' W- q3 X
1 D0 K6 f/ b. `' K; tBecause of the stereotype of the rigid Chinese parent, Sun’s group last year used parent ambassadors to get a clearer sense of child-rearing in the community. Some parents felt it was important to be strict and maintain the kind of homework schedule they had been used to in China, she explains. But all the parents they worked with seemed to seek a middle path, incorporating Canadian-style parenting and the school system.
1 r% c \0 ]+ Y; ?& C- \/ f( X
' ~$ W# w, @* H$ p4 CAs for her own upbringing in Toronto, Sun says she enjoyed lots of play dates and watched a lot of television. But any grade under 80 per cent was definitely frowned upon.
# o& k; F8 B" M3 p# p* r8 |6 l# G( s3 f' }8 D
“I was top of my class until junior high school, then I fell to second,” remembers Sun with a laugh. “Another Chinese girl beat me out.” |
|