Earlier this month, Yale Law School professor and author Amy Chua raised a furor online when an excerpt from her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, was published on the Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) website under the title Why Chinese Mothers are Superior. Here, she unapologetically relates the rules on how she gets her two daughters to excel. Among these rules are no playdates or sleepovers and no TV or computer games. In addition, her daughters are only allowed, and must play, the violin or piano.
Chua goes on to point out that insults and name-calling can motivate a child (as opposed to Western parents who worry constantly about a child’s self-esteem), and that a Chinese parent can override their child’s preferences and desires simply because she believes that she knows what is best for her child.
In a subsequent article also published on the WSJ website, Amy Chua clarifies that much of what she wrote in the book was “tongue-in-cheek” and “making fun” of herself. And in her defense, she also says that the title for the article posted on the WSJ was not of her choosing.
While many readers may find some of Chua’s tactics extreme; even bordering on “child abuse,” there are some sound tips that we can take away just the same. We've compiled some of them in the gallery below.
Read these articles for more parenting tips:
- New Study: Getting a Hug or Phone Call from Mom Can Reduce Stress
- New Study: Spanking May Make Children More Aggressive + Alternative Ways to Discipline Your Kids
- New Study: World Is Becoming More Corrupt + 5 Ways to Raise Children with Integrity
Jaclyn Lutanco-Chua would like readers to know that she is not in any way related to Amy Chua. But she welcomes all comments to this article.
