Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
參賽者：林〇薇（企管三A）
名次：第二名
書名：Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
得獎作品：
This book is about how Chinese parents raise children differently than western parents. Western parents try to respect their children's individuality, encouraging them to pursue their true passions and providing a nurturing environment. The Chinese believe that the best way to protect your children is by preparing them for the future and arming them with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence. Amy expects her children to strive for excellence with no ground for retreat. For example, the two daughters can’t have a play date, can’t be in a school play nor complain about not being in a school play. Moreover, they have to be the number one student in every subject except gym and drama.
Amy Chua, the author wrote this book in a moment of crisis, when her younger daughter seemed to turn against everything she stood for, and it felt like she was losing her. Everything was falling apart. After one terrible fight, she sat down at her computer, and even though she usually has writer’s block, this time the words just poured out. Amy showed every page to her daughters and her husband. It felt like a therapy one of a kind to her.
Amy Chua was raised by very strict, Chinese immigrant parents, who came to the U.S. as graduate students with practically no money. Her mother and father were so poor they couldn’t afford heat their first two winters in Boston, and wore blankets around to keep warm. They demanded total respect and were very tough. That was the family she was from, and she still loved her parents very much and is grateful for it. The strictness equipped her well for her later life. Therefore, she believes that the same method should work on her daughters.
What I love the most about this book is that it is very honest. The book depicts the ugliest scenarios of parenting. However, those are just about what happens every night in every teenage family, each story of how Lulu was forced to play violin and how she wanted to attend a sleepover at a friend’s place. It is depicted in a very genuine way, not trying to garnish the greatness of parenting. I feel as if I can relate to the stories. Reflecting on my teenage years, I could remember that some of the stories happened to me, too. I could still remember how angry I was at my mom for being anal and strict. I had known better enough at that time to understand that everything she did was at the best interest of me. However, I still felt that her requests were somehow against me, as if she tried everything to make me feel worse. I honestly thought that. And I ruthlessly showed it. I let my mom know how mad I was at her. She in return, showed how hurt she was.
The power of love is that it hurts. I had known that everything she asked of me was for my good, but I was angry at myself for not achieving them so I let it out on her. She loves me so much to have been willing to take that risk, the risk that I would rebel her, and yet still asked more and more of me. Growing older, I then understood love is so powerful that it hurts. And Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is the best book to depict this process. It has pointed out that the process may seem harmful to the relationship of parent and child. In truth, it is just love in disguise. Every parent should assume strength in their children, not weakness. It’s a process of helping children realize their potential.
This is the hard way, and love has given the will for them to parent the hard way. Therefore, reading this book, through the tension of Amy and Lulu, I felt love was filled in every scenario. Only loved ones would do such for you. Now reading it, I think it is a reminder for me to be grateful of how my parents would chose the hard way to teach me. Moreover, it’s a thought for me to think I should do the same to whom I care. My closest friends, I should tell them how much more they ought to prompt themselves and not idle away time. My family, I shall remind them that discipline will lead them to unprecedented success. My co-workers, I should work hardly together with them to strive for the best performance. There are many forms of love, and Amy has shown us a kind that is hard-core down-to-ear.
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