Amy Chua tells the story of the relationship between herself and her two daughters, now teenagers, in her new autobiographical book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Chua begins by comparing and contrasting “Chinese parenting” and “Western parenting”.

“The Chinese believe that the best ways to protect their children is by preparing them for the future and arming them with skills, strong work habits and inner confidence,” reads the book cover.

Time and time again, labeling herself as a “Tiger mother”, Chua sees fault in western ways of parenting. According to Chua, the stereotyped “overscheduling soccer mom” defaces the value of academics and education. She teaches her children, Sophia and Lulu, with all the adoration in the world, that anything less than an A+ is unacceptable. Rigorous violin and piano lessons were the daily doctrine for her children, beginning at age 3. At one point she threatens to burn Sophia’s stuffed animals if she didn’t finish practicing piano.

When I hear “Chinese parenting”, I think about the old Chinese, the old ways, the parents of the first American- born generation. Chua includes at the beginning of each chapter a picture. Chua is not, in any way, old. She’s actually quite pretty and American looking, much to Chua’s dismay. Chua herself was raised much to the same, almost greater, standard. Holding her children to a Chinese standard in an American country is no different than global social conflict; by which she does herself no favor. Chua forgets that she’s raising a family, not a third world war. But, perhaps her lack of control growing up in an unfulfilling childhood correlates with her own children’s misfortune now.  

Growing up, her children were never allowed to have a play date or sleepover, watch television or play video games or not be the number one student in every subject except gym and drama.

Is some of this book fictionalized or exaggerated? Chua accepts nothing less of her children, or herself. Is the Chua extremity and explicit detail what keeps this book as a top seller? Is she just giving us, the readers, what we want to hear?

Speaking of “what we want to hear”, we see the destroyed families on shows like Supernanny and Parental Control and enjoy watching every minute of their trials and tribulations. Is showcasing the best and the worst of America a redeeming value in any way, either? Is supporting the stereotyped “new” American family what brands fully capable adults as “bad parents”?

I was adopted from China when I was 11 months old. I was, and still am, raised in what Chua would call a “Western” home. I attend a Chinese church; I hang out with Asians on the weekends. I would like to think that I’ve “bridged” two cultures. Never have I witnessed this type of behavior and annihilation of childhood in a family home of Chinese (or Western, for that matter) descent.

Now, in my second year of high school, a lot of adults ask me what I want to be when I grow up, what I want to do with my life. I never seem to have an answer. All I ever do is update my list of things I know I don’t want to do. When I grow up, I do not want to be an Amy Chua. As a Western-American-Asian, I’m excited to see how Chua’s children turn out.