The Pros And Cons Of Western Parenting

Every parent always wants what is best for their children. But what is the best way to go about this? There are so many ways one can go and never know if you are right or are doing the right thing. You might believe you are doing what is best for your child or children, but other parents don't see it that way and that is where conflict arises between parents at times. In the essay, “The Roar of the Tiger Mom” Amy Chua explains with great detail, the many differences between Chinese mothers and western parents have in the upbringing of their children trying to prepare them for the real world. Amy Chua puts in her own insight of Chinese mothers trying to justify the Chinese parenting style, however, many western parents would defy Chinese

Every parent wants the best for their child. There are different styles of parenting around the world that are used to ensure that their children do succeed. One method in particular is the stereotypical Chinese parenting style, or “Tiger Mom” parenting as it is referred to in Dr. Amy Chua’s book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom, however, many other Asian cultures utilize the same, if not, similar method. This method of parenting has received much criticism, especially in the western hemisphere, where it contrasts the “western” parenting styles. Despite this criticism, the results are undeniable when it comes to evaluating how successful children become when raised on the “Tiger Mom” method, compared to those raised by another other parenting style. The Tiger Mom parenting style is a superior parenting style due to the parents’ active involvement in their children’s lives, the children’s high academic achievement, as well as the traits children develop when raised using this parenting style.

From infancy to adult, people are making decisions all day long. How long to study for the upcoming test? What sport to play? What college to attend? As choices are made, often goals are set to ensure maximum potential is achieved. This process of decision-making and goal setting is overbearing shadowed by the authoritarian style of parenting.

Questions have been raised on whether Chinese parenting raises more flourishing children than Western parenting. Despite what people think, in Amy Chua's essay “The Roar of the Tiger Mom”, she portrays the differences between the beliefs of Chinese parenting and Western parenting. Chua introduces the views of a Chinese parent compared to the views of a Western parent. The methods used by Chinese mothers in raising their children are drastically different from Western mothers. Each defends their methods and believes the other group is doing their job poorly. In the end, both types of parents just want one thing-- successful children.

& Rider, E. pg. 343). Learning to function as an adult, make decisions independently, and preparing to leave home, thereby separating from parents and becoming their own free-thinking person. During this time, parenting style is important. Parents who allow a free exchange of ideas concerning the wants and needs of the child, give more freedom as the adolescent gains and exhibits good decision-making skills, and supports and guides them thru more elaborate decisions tend to raise competent, self-assured individuals. Parents who are either overly strict and critical, not giving the adolescent opportunities to contribute to making decisions or criticize an adolescent when they assert themselves may very well raise incompetent adults. Conversely, if parents are detached from the adolescents, leaving the child to make most or all decisions on their own, has the same negative effects (Sigelman, C. & Rider, E.). Autonomy is important in developing a healthy self-esteem.

Western parents allow their children to do what they are truly passionate about and do it on their own. Children do know what is best for themselves and their future. Western parents give their children their own space to do things, but still provide the support they need. The Western parent’s children still have them as their backbone to encourage them in any way to stay on track and to help them with any problems they have to face. Learning how to face one’s problem helps with one independence. Dealing with situations as they come help the children to face them and find a solution. Children do have the ability to face a problem and find a solution on their own. In the “blicket detector” experiment, Gopnik observes how the child is able to solve the blicket block with the casual knowledge given. As Gopnik observes the children she realizes, “Once the children start to discover which blocks make the machine go, they can use that information to envision new possibilities and make new predictions, including counterfactual predictions”(180). The child is given information on the blicket block and is expected on how does the blocks work. When trying to figure out the blicket blocks, he opens new possibilities to solve it. On his own, he was able to do that thinking leading to making his own predictions about what would happen. This example that Gopnik presents is how Western parents, according to Chua teach children to think on their own. As the children learn to

It is true that the ways the parents raise their children will decide how well the children grow, especially the mothers who impact their children the most. There is no right or wrong in how a mother takes care of her children. All of them want the best for their children. The only difference is the level of intensity in how to raise a child. In Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior, Amy Chua, a professor at Yale Law School believes that the ways Chinese mothers raise their children are the most effective ways. Her main purpose of this article is to state the differences between Western mothers and Chinese mothers which

“Helicopter Parenting College Students”, Schiffrin Holly H and colleagues argue that “when parents solve problems for their children, then children may not develop the confidence and competence to solve their own problems” (Holly H et al .554). Holly H claims that if parents keep managing their childrens’ lives, they will be unable to manage their lives on their own. In short, helicopter parenting is causing children to be fearful of independence.

It is interesting how much impact a particular parenting style can have on a child’s wellbeing and development throughout the child’s life, including adulthood. According to Kol (2016), the parenting style can influence children aged 5-6 years and their social skills. The author conducted a study of 231 students in that age group and used two different surveys to identify the parenting style of the parent and the social skills of the child. Kol (2016) found that children with parents who practice the democratic style of parenting, which is similar to that of the authoritative practice, had the best social skills for that cohort. The over-protective style had the most negative impact on a child’s social skills. Passive and authoritarian also

There are many types of parents around us, and every culture shows something different. There are types of parenting styles and some of them are authoritarian, indulgent, and uninvolved. Every culture falls under one of the parenting styles and Chinese are considered authoritarian. Amy Chua, a Yale professor, a famous author, who recently wrote the book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”, in which she discuses parenting and the difference between Chinese and Western parenting. After reading “ Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”, she argues about different parenting styles and how Chinese parents are superior in terms of focusing on education with their kids.

Chua says that there is tre differences between the western and the Chinese parenting. First of all western parents are concerned about their children’s lives and psyche. The Chinese parents are not. As mentioned before Chinese parents do not expect anything less than top-grades.

Authoritative parenting amongst Europeans has a stronger association with high academic achievement than compared to the Chinese, as the definition of authoritative parenting is more in line with what Westerners believe is the best way to rear a well balanced and healthy child (Li, Costanzo & Putallaz, 2010).

There is many questions on how to parent a child in order to help them be successful in life. Although parenting style various greatly, most all parents put into practice what regulations in which they think will help their child succeed in life. Some parents, known as Chinese parents are extremely strict, and on the other end of the spectrum there is western parents, who do not expect as much from their child. In Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom,” Chua explains what it is like to have Chinese parenting techniques. She attempts to justify the struggles, beliefs, and methods of Chinese parents, as compared to western parents, and how they both have the end goal - to prepare their child to succeed in life.

The over involvement of parents can make the child develop psychological issues. They are shown to have a higher risk of depression, anxiety, lack self-confidence, and have low self-esteem (“Helicopter Parents” Stir Up Anxiety, Depression). It is shown that no matter what parenting technique is being used, every parents goal is to build their child’s self-esteem (Rutherford). Sadly, helicopter parenting does the exact opposite. Equally important, the persons lack of self- confidence comes from the over involvement of their parents in his/her childhood activities and academics. They never experienced failure or loss because the parents were always there to step in, so they never achieved anything to build their confidence (“Helicopter Parents” Stir Up Anxiety, Depression). It is common for a child with helicopter parents to develop depression when moving from their home to

“I expect nothing but the best. If it is not an A, you are not striving to the best of your ability. You cannot be a musician; you have to be a doctor. You can only be someone when you ARE someone. That will only happen after you take ten extra lessons outside of school, and you also have to learn how to play all types of instruments. My main point is, you have to be the best.” For many centuries, cultures from all around have had many debates on the correct way of parenting. In recent times, a specific type of parenting has been in the spotlight: the parenting of Asian mothers. They are known as very passive and submissive to strangers, but to their own kids they turn around 360 and becoming very aggressive and demanding. Many Westerners think Easterners way of parenting is cruel and inhumane. Westerners think that Asian mothers have goals that are unrealistic; they are selfish because they are simply living their dream through their children. Asian mothers, on the other hand, claim they do it all out of love.