A business partner - 1st generation Chinese-American - forwarded me that article this morning, saying that it could have been written by either his mother... or his wife. While I don't know his mom that well, I do agree about his wife. And I know how my partner turned out. As did his kids. Wow.

As I read the article, I alternated between shocked, amazed & horrified. I thought of this recent thread and thought a link to this article would be a nice little addition. Definitely makes me look like a gosh-darn little fairy god mother in comparison.

I laughed out loud a couple of times while reading. First, when Chuan rattled off her checklist of things her children are *not* allowed to do:
� attend a sleepover
� have a playdate
� be in a school play
(I wonder how she reacted to the suicide in Dead Poets Society?)
� watch TV or play computer games
� choose their own extracurricular activities
� get any grade less than an A
� not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama
� play any instrument other than the piano or violin

Ha! Just this week, DS violated just about every one of her rules, yet seems no worse for wear. Heck, he spent five hours playing in the woods yesterday, hunting for reptiles and insects and climbing trees. (The horror!)

My second fit of laughter came at the end of the article... you wanna know how to really and truly cause fits & hair-pulling in a Chinese Mother?

Simple.

Just tell her that your profoundly-gifted 7yo learned "Little White Donkey" in about a week, practicing only 20 minutes per day, and only five days in that week... having easily spent more time than that playing computer games. And that he's the top of his class in everything *including* gym with very little, if any effort required... despite being grade-accelerated twice.

I've never used the dreaded P.G. term with anyone in real life, and would certainly never rattle off DS's accomplishments like this, but I'd be more than happy to share with an Amy Chuan type any day, just to see the rage burn in her eyes. Although... I suppose I'd feel awfully sorry for what her kids would suffer as a result: "You know what that little Western boy does? Do you? Well, DO YOU!?!?!? GET BACK TO YOUR PIANO NOW!"

I will admit, I've occasionally wondered what my son could accomplish if I forced hours upon hours of practice & homework... but I really & truly love it when he comes home from a day-long adventure in the woods that would make Calvin & Hobbes proud.

Being offended is a natural consequence of leaving the house. - Fran Lebowitz