In the global race for intellectual capital and academic excellence the US is losing out to China whose students score so much higher than Americans on standardized tests in reading, math and science. These test results reflect a culture of parenting in China where greater emphasis is placed on academic success and parents demand that their children spend time studying to the exclusion of other activities like sports and socializing. Unlike Western parents who try to create a nurturing environment for their children and stress individuality, Chinese parents believe the best way to prepare kids for the future is to arm them with skills and strong work habits. This kind of “extreme parenting” is revealed by Yale law professor and author Amy Chua in her new memoir about Chinese parenting and the difficulty of raising children “the Chinese way” in America. Can a regimen of no play dates, no TV, no computer games and hours of music practice create happy kids? What happens when kids rebel against the demands of the “tiger mother?”
Guest:
Amy Chua, author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (Penguin Press)