Asian Parenting

Sharon Hong

As I read “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” by Amy Chua, I can see where Chua is coming from. The city I come from, Diamond Bar, consists of almost more than 50% of the population being Chinese. As I see many of my Asian friends experience what Chua is referring to, I agree with what she has to say. Even though my parents are Asian, I did not experience parenting the way Chua describes it. My parents were very lenient to where I would go and do. My parents gave me a car and taught me how to be responsible on my own. Instead of teaching me how to do math problems or speak better English, my parents taught me to become a better person. In my family, God came first, health came second, and then grades and so forth. My parents scolded me for getting bad grades, but always told me to try harder and that grades aren’t everything. When my sister said that she did not want to go to college, my parents agreed with my sister and said “if that is what you really think is right then do it”. Instead of having my parents make all the decisions for me, they showed me how to make the best decisions for myself, and gave me advice whenever I needed. I know that they love me and care for me even though they do not parent in the way Asian and Western parents do. If my parents were to teach in a strict manner, I am the type of person to rebel and become the person they would not want me to become. Instead, I believe that I have become the person I am today because my parents have let me be an individual, and taught me that the world does not revolve on grades. My question is, “don’t parents know that they are not doing what is best for their children?”. It is only making the relationship between a parent and child worse.