Hi,
I'm from a country with a Chinese majority. Yes, the moms here do push the kids very hard. I do not do that. DH and I have been resisting the pressure to do the same. It is not easy. The education system here is so competitive. It is not about doing anymore, it is about outdoing others. The fear of losing out to others, not getting into the best schools, makes many parents send their kids for tuition after school doing more math, science and languages.
For us, we believe in training our kids to have the right attitudes and good moral values the first 12 years of their lives. In the course of guiding them in their school work, we teach them work ethics, time management, task perseverance. we believe if these foundation are set right, all other things will fall nicely in place.
It has not been easy trying not to follow the Jonses. I do get jitters sometimes seeing my kids' friends going for all the expensive enrichment classes that are suppose to soup up their grades. I always remind my kids that they have to help themselves by learning to learn, pay attention in class and take every piece of homework very seriously.
Glad to say we think we have done the right thing and am very proud of our courage to have faith in our kids. Both, 14 and 11 are now very independent learners.
