"Why I Love My Strict Chinese Mom" was written by a daughter in response to the criticism her mother received for her book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom." The mother, Amy Chua, has been criticized for being a horrible parent, and has even received death threats for her book. Her daughter Sophia Chua-Rubenfeld, however, has a very different view of her mother. Instead of seeing an overly aggressive and critical parent, Sophia sees a woman who pushed her to do her very best...a woman who didn't let her get away with lazy, sloppy work.
I thought this article was sweet. I haven't read the book and don't know anything about the mother or the family (except for what I just read), but from this piece, it is clear that Sophia is doing just fine and grew up to be pretty "normal" and well-adjusted. I think the important thing is that Sophia didn't find her mother's words and actions to be demoralizing or self-esteem shattering. Instead, she knew her mother believed she had great abilities, which is why she was getting pushed so hard. Maybe Sophia is just a tough cookie or something, or maybe her mom has a good handle on how to be critical and harsh in the best way possible.
It makes me think of Gordon Ramsay. He yells and swears and calls people dimwits and idiots, but he actually knows how to make people work hard and feel pride in their work. He goes ballistic when people get things wrong or get lazy...but when people get things right, they feel amazing when he tells them so. Obviously I don't fault anyone for disagreeing with his methods, but I think Ramsay has found an amazingly effective balance. And, I really think he's a sweet and compassionate person. Too much of a tangent? I've been watching a lot of Hell's Kitchen.
Anyway, do you think parents can be harsh without totally destroying their kids? Or do you think it just takes a special kind of kid to handle that kind of pressure and standards? What do you think of Gordon Ramsay???
Felicia Peng
Section A01
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