Why Chinese Mothers are Superior

[Tequila]

I'm glad my parents let me and my siblings enjoy our childhood while still encouraging us to study hard in school. None of us were forced to play musical instruments. We watched TV and we all played sports and had complete freedom of choice when it came to extracurricular activities. While none of us went to an Ivy league school we all did pretty damn good in college and life. One sister getting a PhD in biochemistry, a brother with a masters in EE and me the low achiever with a dual B.S in Comp Sci + Mathematics.

My parents grew up during the Great Depression and had miserable childhoods. So in their mind having a little fun while growing up was important to us. We have many fond memories and are very thankful for that. We were also taught to save every penny and not waste a thing which I treasure more than being forced to play violin/piano Hell, we saved like crazy and could all retire right now in our late 40s to early 50s but we'd be bored out of our skulls. Working hard, enjoying your work and enjoying life is what is all about.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I grew up with a strictass Asian mom. I got some social stuff like sleepovers and hanging out with friends, but I never EVER hung out on a weekday (school day) except for senior year.

I think certain things like work ethic are priceless to learn from them. I rebelled in college and went south. Not too bad, but I definitely had nothing near superb grades. I wish I kept up the high school work ethic, because I'm now paying for it with state school grad school. Yuck.

Dudes! English, please! Some of us only took 8 years of Chinese language classes and learned absolutely nothing!

Did you take those Chinese school things that many of us took? I had like 12 years and I can probably read like 1/3 of a newspaper only. Especially non conversational Chinese will really throw me off. It's like pathetic when 2nd graders in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong out-read us and I'm standing there like an idiot.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

My parents grew up during the Great Depression and had miserable childhoods. So in their mind having a little fun while growing up was important to us. We have many fond memories and are very thankful for that. We were also taught to save every penny and not waste a thing which I treasure more than being forced to play violin/piano Hell, we saved like crazy and could all retire right now in our late 40s to early 50s but we'd be bored out of our skulls. Working hard, enjoying your work and enjoying life is what is all about.

Yeah, my parents grew up during the Cultural Revolution. So basically whenever I told them I didn't want to study anymore or I didn't want to practice anymore, or I wanted to go to a friend's place for a movie, they'd do the whole lecture thing about growing up in a privileged country with luxuries such as clean clothes and food every day and how they'd love to have had the same opportunities during their childhoods.

It's weird, though. Growing up with them I kind of took it for granted that the cultural revolution actually happened and that Mao was a demented son of a bitch. Whereas the parents of many of my Taiwanese friends thought the revolution was a myth and some kind of weird propaganda.

Did you take those Chinese school things that many of us took? I had like 12 years and I can probably read like 1/3 of a newspaper only. Especially non conversational Chinese will really throw me off. It's like pathetic when 2nd graders in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong out-read us and I'm standing there like an idiot.

Man. Someone feels my pain! We moved here just before I was due to start primary school, so my parents had a load of chinese language books. I basically used those for a decade before we both gave up, and in that time, I'd gotten to the competency level of about 3rd Grade. My parents still make fun about it sometimes...

 

[Ms. DICKINSON]

that sucks.... 45K/year and a ugly wife.. You will get there my man.

Nah, no wife yet. ...on the hunt.

 

[jhu]

did you take those chinese school things that many of us took? I had like 12 years and i can probably read like 1/3 of a newspaper only. Especially non conversational chinese will really throw me off. It's like pathetic when 2nd graders in china/taiwan/hong kong out-read us and i'm standing there like an idiot.

如果你有興趣，你可以上網自己學。

 

[Imp]

I grew up with a strictass Asian mom. I got some social stuff like sleepovers and hanging out with friends, but I never EVER hung out on a weekday (school day) except for senior year.

I think certain things like work ethic are priceless to learn from them. I rebelled in college and went south. Not too bad, but I definitely had nothing near superb grades. I wish I kept up the high school work ethic, because I'm now paying for it with state school grad school. Yuck.



Did you take those Chinese school things that many of us took? I had like 12 years and I can probably read like 1/3 of a newspaper only. Especially non conversational Chinese will really throw me off. It's like pathetic when 2nd graders in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong out-read us and I'm standing there like an idiot.

No, thank god. Never did the school thing. It was just a combination of after- and during-school classes a few times a week. Teachers just made us memorize poems and readings. I usually managed to remember most of the characters, sure as hell didn't bother learning what sounds they made. I don't even understand "formal" speak, or what newscasters say.

Same thing with French, I took 6 years of that, and learned near squat for the first 4. It wasn't until they started forcing us to do grammar that I actually started picking stuff up. Still have no conversational ability though.

 

[jhu]

no, thank god. Never did the school thing. It was just a combination of after- and during-school classes a few times a week. Teachers just made us memorize poems and readings. I usually managed to remember most of the characters, sure as hell didn't bother learning what sounds they made. I don't even understand "formal" speak, or what newscasters say.

Same thing with french, i took 6 years of that, and learned near squat for the first 4. It wasn't until they started forcing us to do grammar that i actually started picking stuff up. Still have no conversational ability though.

每個語言要天天用你才能記得。

 

[bfdd]

I seriously need to learn Chinese.

 

[metalmania]

My son is learning Chinese from this website: www.gongfubb.com. It's really helpful.

 

[bfdd]

My son is learning Chinese from this website: www.gongfubb.com. It's really helpful.

Not exactly a beginner site is it?

 

[metalmania]

Not exactly a beginner site is it?

For Children 3-8 years old. But if you never learned Chinese before, just try the free classes first.

Of course it's better to have a tutor. I am sure there are Chinese graduate students in every college. Some of them will teach the language definitely. I did that when in the university.

 

[ichy]

You know, this makes me think of people who busted their asses in high school to get into a good college, busted their asses in college to get into a top-tier law school, worked like dogs so that they'd get a job at a prestigious big-law firm, and one they finally reach that point they realize that being a lawyer SUCKS BALLS.

Seriously, education, work, etc are all means to an end (enjoying life) or at least they should be. Perfect grade for their own sake don't matter.

 

[ichy]

Oh yeah, from what I've read about the upbringings of modern science's greatest achievers (Richard Feynman, Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein all come to mind) NONE of them were subjected to this kind of psychotic parenting. I agree that the average American kid needs more discipline and a better work ethic, but the lady in this article is a lunatic. Her child-rearing methods might produce future Goldman-Sachs executives or similar sociopaths though.

 

[Ms. DICKINSON]

Audio review

 

[gophins72]

follow up:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/fashion/16Cultural.html

In the week since The Wall Street Journal published an excerpt of the new book by Amy Chua, a Yale law professor, under the headline “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” Ms. Chua has received death threats, she says, and “hundreds, hundreds” of e-mails. The excerpt generated more than 5,000 comments on the newspaper’s Web site, and countless blog entries referring in shorthand to “that Tiger Mother.” Some argued that the parents of all those Asians among Harvard’s chosen few must be doing something right; many called Ms. Chua a “monster” or “nuts” — and a very savvy provocateur.

 

[Svnla]

Who pissed in your cereal this morning?

Who shit in your wonton bowl?

 

[Svnla]

the "" was supposed to put some humor behind me comment!

anyway, if you grow up learning the language (ie, parents immigrated, but you're born in wherever) then i imagine it might not be too bad. if i literally moved now, i'd be screwed, no doubt about it.

Nothing personal against you per se, I know you were just kidding around but I was serious about tell me something I don't know about.

No, I was not talking about immigrant kids that were born in the US from parents that moved here years ago. I am talking about immigrants that move to the US recently, barely able to speak English yet after 10 years or so, able to finish HS, then college, then grad school, then have good jobs while running their own businesses on the side while have to endure all the discriminations from racists and penis jokes from the cock sucking bridgage members.

Now if you or anyone can tell me a story about a Western country person that fits the story above but moves to China/or any countries in Asia and ends up doing well, then I will be very impressed.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Oh yeah, from what I've read about the upbringings of modern science's greatest achievers (Richard Feynman, Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein all come to mind) NONE of them were subjected to this kind of psychotic parenting. I agree that the average American kid needs more discipline and a better work ethic, but the lady in this article is a lunatic. Her child-rearing methods might produce future Goldman-Sachs executives or similar sociopaths though.

If you find a way to raise some of the most genius people in humanity's existence through mere parenting, you need to write a book on it. Or even if you can't, you should still write one titled "Birthing the Next Albert Einstein: A How To For Parents".

 

[jonks]

Update: Daughter got into Harvard:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/tigermothersdaughteracceptedintoharvard

“Having you as a mother was no tea party. There were some play dates I wish I’d gone to and some piano camps I wish I’d skipped. But now that I’m 18 and about to leave the tiger den, I’m glad you and Daddy raised me the way you did.”

Of course you are now dear, you got into Harvard. But when you grow up some more and realize the carefree days of your youth were stolen from you, perhaps you'll feel differently towards mommy. Of course, given mankind's penchant for rationalization, you'll probably just internalize it and do the same to your kids.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

No, thank god. Never did the school thing. It was just a combination of after- and during-school classes a few times a week. Teachers just made us memorize poems and readings. I usually managed to remember most of the characters, sure as hell didn't bother learning what sounds they made. I don't even understand "formal" speak, or what newscasters say.

Same thing with French, I took 6 years of that, and learned near squat for the first 4. It wasn't until they started forcing us to do grammar that I actually started picking stuff up. Still have no conversational ability though.

well 90% of learning a new language comes from using it. after 3 years of spanish and especially the 4th, they made us speak a lot of spanish in class and that helped conversationally a lot.

i never struggled with chinese because I spoke it at home ALL the time. even now i still speak a lot, although most of my arguments with parents pan out in english simply because it's a lot easier to describe my emotions and points through english especially when my chinese isn't anywhere as advanced.

i think most people agree that speaking helps a lot. once a week chinese school won't help anyone, and if you rarely speak, you're not going to learn much from the quick lessons they give you.

so as for TV, watching dramas, game shows and news helps a lot too. i felt like when i did watch chinese dramas and KTV, it helped a lot, but unfortunately i havent done that in 4-5 years....

 

[7window]

I have an uncle, my mothers brother, who has 4 kids and all went to school at harvard, yale, stanford and berkeley. They are all mixed race asian/caucasian. I hope my kids inherit their traits. They are all working on masters. They grew up middle class but live very poorly. The car was beater and clothes were all mix match hand me downs. Furnitures were just basic furnitures. Mother was stay at home. Kids didn't really had sleepovers.

 

[TecHNooB]

Update: Daughter got into Harvard:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/tigermothersdaughteracceptedintoharvard

“Having you as a mother was no tea party. There were some play dates I wish I’d gone to and some piano camps I wish I’d skipped. But now that I’m 18 and about to leave the tiger den, I’m glad you and Daddy raised me the way you did.”

Of course you are now dear, you got into Harvard. But when you grow up some more and realize the carefree days of your youth were stolen from you, perhaps you'll feel differently towards mommy. Of course, given mankind's penchant for rationalization, you'll probably just internalize it and do the same to your kids.

needs pics of daughter and degree she's going for.

 

[shopbruin]

needs pics of daughter and degree she's going for.

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/soph...iger-mom-triumphant-her-cub-is-harvard-bound/

Picture there.

Degree not necessary. She's legacy.

Anyways, this is the older child, who kinda enjoyed being pushed. It's the younger one that she fought with endlessly in the book.

 

[TecHNooB]

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/soph...iger-mom-triumphant-her-cub-is-harvard-bound/

Picture there.

Degree not necessary. She's legacy.

Anyways, this is the older child, who kinda enjoyed being pushed. It's the younger one that she fought with endlessly in the book.

wut

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

“Having you as a mother was no tea party. There were some play dates I wish I’d gone to and some piano camps I wish I’d skipped. But now that I’m 18 and about to leave the tiger den, I’m glad you and Daddy raised me the way you did.”

Of course you are now dear, you got into Harvard. But when you grow up some more and realize the carefree days of your youth were stolen from you, perhaps you'll feel differently towards mommy. Of course, given mankind's penchant for rationalization, you'll probably just internalize it and do the same to your kids.

That's not really true. My parents treated me in a similar way and I'm where I want to be at the moment in life (and coincidentally, where my parents would have liked me to be also) but I actually wish that they'd pushed harder. I have so little free time now to do the things I want anyway, and I wished they'd pushed harder with music and stuff because if they had, then I'd be enjoying life a whole lot more right now.