I read Amy Chua’s WSJ piece on “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” this morning, and, despite having a Chinese mother (who was nowhere near as aggro as Chua is), I found it to be a fascinating examination of the motivations, results and consequences of a widely stereotyped style of parenting. She had a line that struck me as so wise and yet one that I had never quite put together from my own experiences:
What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it. To get good at anything you have to work, and children on their own never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences.
It’s an insightful, motivating piece that’s also in many ways instructive. Click here to read it.