BOOK REVIEW: BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOTHER

 

Title: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Author: Amy Chua

Number of Pages: 229

Number of Stars I'm Giving: 5

I loved this book.  I have wanted to read it for a while because it is so controversial.  I had to get on a rather long waiting list at the library to even get it.  When I picked it up this afternoon I thought "I'll just read a chapter or two".  It only took me a few hours to read the whole thing.  It was so entertaining.  It was hilarious when she was horrified to learn that her breed of dog was only of an average intelligence! There were a few moments when I felt bad for her daughters, but then again there are moments when I feel bad for my own daughter.  I didn't really find any of her techniques "weird" or "abusive" as she has been labeled by many. Sometimes you have to sacrifice to get the benefits. I have at least 10 Korean mom friends who are exactly like this. 

She does bring up a few things that I think as a culture we should really think about.  Asian children more and more are trumping Americans in almost every subject.  I don't think its because they are more intelligent, but rather they are taught from a very young age to work hard.  They put their blood, sweat, and tears into being the best.  I believe this can be taken to an extreme, however most Americans would have to change by leaps and bounds to get to that point.  I have witnessed at our Taekwondo center literally hundreds of children who quit because "they just don't want to stop playing to come to practice," or "they just want to have a break for a little bit".  This has always surprised me.  

When I announced to the world that I was going to home school my children, no one was concerned about the level of education they would be receiving. I did have to fight off hoards of people concerned about my kids socialization.  At what point in our culture did socializing become our #1 priority?  In my humble opinion, we are way out of balance in our priorities as a society. There's also no denying that hard work breeds success.  After reading this book I consider myself to be 70% Tiger Mom.  I could never be 100%, because lets face it I was raised in an American home and am therefore lazy...ha ha ha, sad, but true.  

The main thing I took away from this book was that whatever you push your children towards - just push.  Don't just sit around and wait for them to become great.  Greatness comes from hard work, by both the parents and the child.  Also something I already knew, but this book reinforced is being a good parent will often times be unpopular.  You have to stick to your guns as a parent, regardless of what your family, friends, acquaintances, and even your children may say.

I really don't care if my children ever end up performing in Carnegie Hall or have PHD behind their names.  But you'd better believe we don't believe in quitting and my goal as a mother is to produce very well rounded contributing members to society....

ROAR!!!