Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior

[^_^ 5,021]

I think there are a lot of factors that determine the academic success of American students compared to Asian countries. For a long time, it was widely accepted that a person could make a living without much of an education in this country. I personally know someone who never made it past 8th grade but has been very successful as a businessman. I don't know how you can really change the culture of academics in this country until academic success becomes the end all for making a living.

Discipline at home and school (which is what we're really talking about) enables behaviors that help you learn and also behaviors that will help you run a successful business. People without discipline do not become successful business people. We don't teach this stuff at school to those who need it most i.e. those who demonstrate behavioral problems. Instead, we segregate them into special ed classes where they say the focus is on helping them but the actual focus is on ensuring they don't disrupt the learning experience of the 'good kids'. Even these problem children can be made better, a lot better, if they are pushed a lot harder. You push someone hard enough and you can turn a delinquent into a man (most of the time).

Pressure from parents didn't seem to help, although the pressure was not anything like the "Chinese mother".

Pressure from parents in this country is undermined the moment they leave the house and are exposed to our popular culture which holds garbage like the Kardashians in high esteem and demeans great people like Michio Kaku and Hawkings.

[chri'stina 190]

Pressure from parents in this country is undermined the moment they leave the house and are exposed to our popular culture which holds garbage like the Kardashians in high esteem and demeans great people like Michio Kaku and Hawkings.

Yes, true. I personally would do my best to teach Kavi not to admire garbage, like I was taught. Even though me and my sister were taught that(and yes, pretty much listened to my parents), me and my sister were very different academically.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Discipline at home and school (which is what we're really talking about) enables behaviors that help you learn and also behaviors that will help you run a successful business. People without discipline do not become successful business people. We don't teach this stuff at school to those who need it most i.e. those who demonstrate behavioral problems. Instead, we segregate them into special ed classes where they say the focus is on helping them but the actual focus is on ensuring they don't disrupt the learning experience of the 'good kids'. Even these problem children can be made better, a lot better, if they are pushed a lot harder. You push someone hard enough and you can turn a delinquent into a man (most of the time).

Yep. I agree with that. Our public school system has tried to straighten a lot of these troubled kids out, and there are many success stories, as well as many who have fallen through the cracks. I think it is a mistake to rely solely on one source of adult mentoring as to turning children into responsible adults because the reality is that there are always going to be less-than-perfect parents raising delinquent children.

[Anna C. 4]

I know a guy who never even finished 8th grade and started out washing dishes and now is super rich, we're talking millions. It's DH's ex-step-dad. It's the "American Dream" personified.

The American school system is quite different even from the German system. However what the lady describes sounds very rough to me, how exactly can you force someone who has not a single ounce of talent to excel at playing the piano, or how will the 75 point IQ kid bring home As all the time? What do they do with disabled kids? Beat them to death or lock them away? You can't tell me that physical punishment and being an Asian parent will suddenly make Albert Einstein out of Forest Gump....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...how exactly can you force someone who has not a single ounce of talent to excel at playing the piano, or how will the 75 point IQ kid bring home As all the time? What do they do with disabled kids? Beat them to death or lock them away? You can't tell me that physical punishment and being an Asian parent will suddenly make Albert Einstein out of Forest Gump....

There is evidence that IQ can be influenced by exposure to such things as music, especially at an early age. As for talent - no one is born with the ability to play the piano. It comes from a lot of practice and hard work. Some people have more of a knack at doing some things, but I would never discourage a child from trying and working hard at something just because I somehow could measure their raw talent. Talent, IMO, is overrated. Hard work and perseverance will take someone a lot farther in life than relying on raw talent.

[Ban Hammer 13,469]

You push someone hard enough and you can turn a delinquent into a man (most of the time).

[tmma 467]

yeah yeah sell yourself short, no one here believes it.

but you're mostly british!

[Amby 490]

Pressure from parents in this country is undermined the moment they leave the house and are exposed to our popular culture which holds garbage like the Kardashians in high esteem and demeans great people like Michio Kaku and Hawkings.

I Michio! I could listen to him speak for hours. I hated all my physics classes but he makes it so interesting.

I never had rules. I'm sure I had restrictions when I was little but after age 12 or so I was trusted to make my own decisions as long as I was willing to face the consequences. I guess the idea of letting my mother down was enough to keep me well behaved. I always practiced my instruments without being told. I had tons of extracurricular things...ballet, gymnastics, cheer, softball, soccer, tennis. No one ever forced me to do any of it. Eventually I made the decision (on my own) to quit everything and focus on tennis. My parents supported my decision. I think the combination of allowing men to do whatever I wanted, the need to please my mom, and self motivation helped me more than any sort of drill sergeant type mothering ever would.

[Amby 490]

Men = me. No clue how to scroll through my post on this thing. Stupid auto correct.