parenting syles

Joseph Garcia
Professor WillenborgEnglish 100 section 2903
10/23/14
Being a parent is one of the toughest jobs out there it requires your full attention and time. But there’s right ways to parent and wrong ways too. I believe a parenting style like Russell baker’s mother is a good way to raise a child. She demonstrates discipline but not too much and she’s caring of her children. She is able to balance the two and set her children up for success in life. Every parent should take not on how she raises her children.
Russell baker’s mother helped shape who he is today by discipline, she always pushed and told him what to do. She always insisted that he would be better than his father and herself even if he didn’t want to do the things she wanted him to do. Russell baker states “if you think I’m going to raise a good for nothing” (Baker 144). This shows the determination and frequent reminders that she tells him that he better be something in life. Amy Chua disciplines her daughters as well, she doesn’t let them mess around she is always having them doing homework and practicing many extra-curricular activities. She like Russell bakers mother wants them to be something in life and succeed. Amy Chua says “Tenacious practice, practice, practice is crucial for excellence; rote repetition is underrated in America” (Chua 317). She says practice makes perfect and that’s true and more parents should push their children to keep on practicing even if they don’t want to , because in the long run they going to be successful. Even though these two mothers have strict ways, Amy Chua doesn’t let them have any fun which I think isn’t good. There has to be a little bit of freedom in their life and that’s where Russell bakers mom is superior even though she has the power to discipline she wasn’t over controlling of her son. She allowed some freedom for himself to do things on his own.
Even though both parents have strict styles they’re also caring, Russell bakers mom helps him realize his potential to be a writer and always cared for him. Baker says “Reading it with her own schoolteacher’s eye, my mother agreed it was top-drawer seventh grade pose and compliments me” (Baker 146). Amy Chua also cares for her children even if she’s really strict she states “It’s not that Chinese parents don’t care for their children, just the opposite they would give up anything for their children it’s just an entirely different parenting model” (Chua 319). Both parents love their children even though others may see them as too strict or too hard on their children it’s just a different way of showing it and expressing it. As all parents love and care for their children they just want them to succeed in life and if that means being little tough and strict. It’s ok because some kids it’s just what they need in life, some tough parenting. Russell baker’s mother had a good balance between the two she cared for him but didn’t spoil him. She also wasn’t a control freak either and let him do things that he liked to do as well. As Amy Chua she didn’t let her daughters have as much fun, they miss out on a lot of activities such as sleepovers, parties , watching TV and many more.
I believe these two parents have good qualities in the way they raise their children they always pushed them to be great and succeed. But Russell baker’s mom is the better parent here she always pushed her son to be great and showed that she cared for him very much. She let him do some things he liked but didn’t let him get off track. She always kept him on a path to success without overbearing and controlling every aspect of his life. Every parent should take a page out of her book and apply to their own children because I think it’s the right way to parent. She implemented him with important life skills such as hardworking, resiliency, and caring. It allowed him to be successful in life. She struck the right balance between fun and work which is very important to do in a child’s life.