Preview

What Do You Think of Amy Chua’s Way of Raising Her Children? to What Extend Do You Agree with Her That It Represents “Chinese Parenting” and Is Superior to “Western Parenting”?

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
665 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Do You Think of Amy Chua’s Way of Raising Her Children? to What Extend Do You Agree with Her That It Represents “Chinese Parenting” and Is Superior to “Western Parenting”?
The ways parents to raise their children are greatly affected by their experiences and culture they are exposed to. Chinese-American mother, Amy Chua, under the influence of strict parenting in her childhood, used the same way to teach her children. There are rules and regulations for their children to follow, such as not being allowed to learn music instruments except piano and violin with no excuse to say no. The reason that the issue has become a controversy is that the parenting method which she is proposing is totally against the common value of Americans which is the importance of personal freedom. Americans believe that everyone has the same right to express their feeling and freedom to choose their future and interests, even children. In my point of view, the way of Amy Chua raising her children does nothing on improving children’s personal development which lay the foundations of one’s personality and future growth. There are reasons as follows.

To begin with, tough parenting hinders the individuality of children. They are gradually used to following parents’ commands, thus, they no longer have the ability to think, leading to lack of creativity. Nowadays, many academic subjects require students having creativity, such as, visual arts and literature, how can the parents hope their children having good results without creativity? However, children under tough parenting will not be given chances to develop their potential. For example, Amy Chua didn’t allow her children to join the school play, which prevents them from displaying their interest in drama.

Furthermore, harsh parenting leads to ultimate conflicts between parents and children. Following strict rules and regulation day to day, children are living under stress. For example, Amy Chua’s children have to keep on doing exercises without a break, which is too demanding for children’s ability, even an adult cannot keep on working all day long. Children will probably rebel against parents’

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Western parents will not over-ride their children and allow their children do what it is they desire. Another story Chua told in the article was when she was teaching Lulu, her daughter, when she was 7 the piano piece “The Little White Donkey” by French composer Jacques Ibert. Al though this piece is cute, it is extremely difficult for young players to learn because the two hands have to keep schizophrenically different rhythms. She used every tactic she could think of so Lulu could learn the piece even when Lulu punched, thrashed and kicked. Her husband Jed, a Western parent, told her to stop insulting Lulu and maybe she really couldn’t do the technique. Chua, a Chinese parent, expected Lulu to learn it no matter the excuse. By the end of the story Lulu could play the piece. However, Jed wanted Lulu to be happy and he thought having her stop playing the piece would make her happy, but Chua believed Lulu owed it to her to learn the…

    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article, Adapted from Battle of Hymn of the Tiger Mother the author Amy Chua’s intent is to describe the differences between Chinese and Western parenting styles. She begins by explaining her personal parenting style and although her parenting style brings controversy it also demonstrates what a parent will do in order to help their children be successful. After all, a parent’s true purpose is to do what is best for their children.…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hannah Rosin Analysis

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages

    However, the two approaches present a sharp contrast to each other. Amy Chua believes that success, perfection and being “the best” are of paramount importance, and will ultimately build a child’s self-esteem (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin is critical of the harshness of the Chinese template and argues for a gentler approach, one that takes the natural interests and talent of the child into account (Rosin, 2011). Rosin notes that the idea of enjoyment or happiness is strikingly absent from Chua’s parenting style; in turn, Chua observes that many Western parents are disappointed with the choices that their children make in their lives (Rosin, 2011; Chua, 2011). It can be argued that both the Eastern approach and Western approach have a great deal to offer each other; a wise parent knows how to walk a middle…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the end a child’s actions is based on how they were brought up from beginning of life, by teaching them right from wrong, good and bad. Always know that in good teaching good deeds will be rewarded but on the other side of the token when bad actions take place consequences will be given in different ways. Permissive and Authoritative Parenting are opposites but in the end have the same consequences towards the end but in desperate needs they will result back to what they were…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”, author Amy Chua discusses many of the morals of Chinese parents and what is ultimately behind the decisions they make for their children. She begins by acknowledging the stereotypes of Chinese parents, and she explains that she too fell into this category. The author explains how she did not permit certain activities for her daughters because they were not in their best interest. She further explains how being a Chinese parent applies to more than just those of the Chinese ethnicity, and similarly, how being a Western parent is evident in a variety of cultures. Amy Chua further goes to elaborate on the differences between Chinese versus Western parents. She explains how some of the primary…

    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What is the best way to bring up a child, let them choose their own activities in school and after school, let them have play dates, play videogames and let them choose their way in life, and let learn that is okay to make mistakes like the western upbringing or the Chinese way, where you decide what’s best for the child, don’t give them any spare time and demands perfect grades, which way will create a happy child. Amy Chua has chosen the second upbringing for her children, and is defending the Chinese mothers in the article “Why Chinese mothers are superior”.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the article “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” (2011) Amy Chua argues the differences between Chinese mothers and Western mothers parenting styles, and how the outcomes are on two opposite ends of the spectrum. I disagree with Chua’s article on how Chinese mothers raise their children and compare it to Western mothers. All mothers have a different ways of raising their children and that there is no right or wrong on how to raise your child. I think that the only difference is the level of intensity. In the article (paragraph 1) Chua states that “Here are some things my daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to do: attend sleepover, have a play date, be in a school play, complaining 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 number 1 student in every subject except gym and drama, play an instrument other than the piano and violin, not to play piano or violin. I think that all of these are wrong. As a child there is so much opportunity to grow and develop through the activities they had to miss out on. Playing with other children and getting involved in any sports are going to teach you lessons that you could never read from a book or study from a paper. I think that forcing your child to do something that they don’t want to do can make them unhappy. There has to be a balance between studying and fun. Sometimes Chinese parents appear to overwhelm their children with studying to the point where they don’t even know what fun is. In a conclusion to me, parenting is about loving your child for who they are, giving them the right to choose what makes them happy, the fairness opportunities is a must. This is why I believe that Chinese mothers are wrong. In the end, the child has no freedom and all of the decisions are up to the parent. They give no fair opportunities to excel at the things they may be interested in or might be good at. If your child…

    • 413 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Choquet, M., Hassler, C., Morin, D., Falissard, B., & Chau, N., (2008). Perceived parenting styles and tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use among French adolescents: Gender and family structure. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 43(1), 73-80.…

    • 2792 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    east vs. west parenting

    • 631 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The parenting styles and techniques of Amy Chua verses that of Hanna Rosin describes the East v West idea that parenting should be restrictive/strict discipline v free willed/encouragement. In that Ms. Rosin takes up the notion that in America the free will of the child is within the encouragement of a child’s choice be it, playtime, sports, and arts to make a successful student and is the end productive adult. Ms. Chua takes up the notion that in Chinese parenting the strict adherence to discipline and long hours of practice makes a child prepared for society and a successful adult in society.…

    • 631 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At this point, my parents with their individual viewpoint started to have variance on me adapting to the new environment. Having different perspective towards society's operation caused tension within our family. Now the question arises," Don't parents realize that too much parental control halts child's personal growth?" Such type of parenting style is referred to as authoritarian. "Authoritarian parents utilize strict and harsh child rearing techniques with an absolute set of standards to which children must conform while permissive parents provide too few rules, boundaries, or restrictions for their children" (Chong, et al 1). Parents must not adopt authoritarian parenting style as it contributes to such behavior which is never welcomed by them when presented and further leads to tension within the family. This parenting style develops such consequences which leave kids down with psychological and personality disorders, consisting problems like fear of failing at each step of life, withdrawing oneself from socializing and turning out to be authoritarian towards parents as an…

    • 1586 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Unequal Childhoods

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Annette Lareau invites her readers to a new perspective of child-rearing, where people are not just individual human beings, but rather class subjects. Her book, Unequal Childhoods provides the best means to demonstrate her views, via following the lives of twelve completely socially and culturally diversified families that had children around the ages of eight and ten, regardless gender and race. Lareau introduces two core parenting styles that are believed to affect a child’s learning in different ways. The first core theory presented in her book is “Concerted Cultivation” which, according to Lareau, is interpreted as a parenting pattern that enforces a child’s talent by allowing specific activities in his or her life that will encourage the child to unleash and further develop his or her talents. The second theory is based on a completely different parenting style, called “Natural Growth, “ where parents do not interfere with or disturb their child’s natural development and allow their children to enjoy their childhood without implementing any particular activities in their child’s life. The second theory is commonly seen among families in the poor and/or working class. Lareau concentrated exclusively on families where parents were employees, rather than self-employed workers or employers and also families that were not involved in the labor market and supported by the public assistance; moreover, families that belonged in the working-class or middle-class category.…

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Children do not come with guidelines or instructions. What they do come with is a crucial set of physical and emotional needs that need to be met. To raise children properly, parents duties are not limited to just food, shelter and protection. Parents are largely responsible for their children’s success in life. Parents are required to teach and educate children. They have to shape knowledge and character into their children to prepare them to face the real world. To be successful with this, parents must provide self esteem needs, teach moral and values and provide discipline that is both effective and appropriate. As the generations have changed, many parenting styles have evolved, as well. While growing up my mother was always more of an authoritarian parent. As I have grown up and have children on my own, I choose not to parent with the same parenting methods that she had used. I am more of an authoritative parent. There are great differences in both my mother’s and my parenting styles, such as parental responsiveness and parental demandingness; however the largest disparity is the end result: the children.…

    • 909 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Parents are usually very warm, caring and loving to their children, but are not assertive or controlling, there are no demands from these parents (Wentzel & Russel 2009). Hence the reason why this parenting style has been highly associated with children’s and adolescents’ underachievement (Onatsu-Arvilommi & Nurmi, as cited in Aunola et al., 2000). The permissive parent promotes immaturity as well as lack of impulse control and self-reliance, the child also exhibits a lack of independence and social and cognitive competence (Baumrind, as cited in Starr,…

    • 648 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Compare and Contrast

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Chua’s article outlines Chinese parenting, and contrasting them with the Western views of parenting. Parenting for Chinese is like a dictatorship; telling their children what they can or cannot do in their free time. Rosin is the extreme opposite of Chua, “What privilege American children need is not more skills and rules and math drills. They need to lighten up and roam free, to express themselves in ways not dictated by their uptight over invested parents” (Rosin par. 4) Rosin believes children should grow up in a way where parents do not have an influence in their decision making throughout their lives. Chua explains in here essay Chinese children grow up to be the most successful in life because of the lack of having fun when they are growing up. Studies show that Chinese children are growing up to be doctors and lawyers; thanks to the strict study patterns learned from the strict over involved parents. Rosin opens her essay with her explaining a game she plays with her son; making him laugh and run around as a kid should do when they are growing up. Rosin believes her parenting style is better than Chinese parents because she bases it off the happiness of the children, not like Chua. Chua does…

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to Chua, Chinese mothers approach their children in a direct and a strict way which enables their children to excel in their eyes. She points out that Chinese mothers spend ten times as much time with their children working on academic activities. In contrast, the western mother invests more time with their children in sports activities and developing social skills. The author believes that there are three differences that makes the Chinese mother more superior than western mother. First, Chinese parents don’t focus on their kid's attention on inner self as western parents do.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays