Tackling the Tiger Mom(a)|《虎妈的战歌》：蔡美儿女士的育儿经

by Rebecca A. Fratzke

Is there really only one correct way to raise a child in today's world of globalization and mixed cultures?

At every milestone in a child's life, parents ask themselves if they are doing all they can to help their children succeed in today's changing world. Should I let my daughter stop taking piano lessons? Do I tell my son he can't join the basketball team because he needs to study? Questions like these are what all parents are challenged with at one time or another. Unfortunately, the correct answers are not easily found.

Recently, one woman made her voice heard on how she thinks children should be raised. Known as the Tiger Mom, Amy Chua has gotten the world's attention through her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Her ideas on child rearing were influenced by her own upbringing by strict Chinese parents. Chua claims that tough love is needed for children to achieve great things.

While many people would agree with those words, they would also find fault with some of Chua's examples of Tiger Mother parenting. For instance, Chua rejected a handmade Mother's Day card from her daughter because she did not feel her daughter had done her best to make it. Examples like this and Chua's strict rules, such as no sleepovers or play dates, have outraged mothers around the world. In fact, the book and author have been attacked as being cruel and abusive. Even so, Chua points out that Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is not a how-to guide on parenting. It is a reflection on her own parenting techniques and what she has learned. Her daughters have also been quick to defend their mother, saying that her push to work harder actually helped them succeed more than they thought possible.

《虎妈的战歌》：蔡美儿女士的育儿经

在今天这全球化和多元文化的世界里，教养孩子是否真的只有一种正确的方法？

　　在孩子生命中的每个里程碑，为人父母者都会自问，是否已经尽了全力帮助孩子，在今日快速变迁的世界里作出一番成绩。我应该退掉女儿的钢琴课吗？要不要告诉儿子，为了读书所以他不能参加篮球队？这类的问题是所有父母都会遇到的挑战。不幸的是，正确答案并不容易找到。

　　最近，1 个女人将她对教养子女的想法公诸于世。人称『虎妈』的蔡美儿，透过她的书《虎妈的战歌》得到全世界的关注。她教养子女的想法受到她严格的华人父母对她的教养方式所影响。虎妈宣称，严厉的爱是孩子成就伟大事业的必要条件。

　　尽管许多人会认同这样的说法，但他们也同样会对虎妈的某些教养方式无法苟同。比如说，虎妈拒绝接受她女儿送给她的自制母亲节卡片，因为她认为女儿没有尽力去做。诸如此类的例子和虎妈的严格规定，像是不准参加睡衣派对或和朋友出去玩等，激怒了全球许多母亲。事实上，这本书和作者都被人抨击既残忍又侮辱人。即使如此，虎妈指出《虎妈的战歌》一书并不是教养指南，而是她对自己教养方式和所学习到的教训所作的反省。她的女儿们也迅速出面替自己的母亲辩护，说明母亲督促她们要更努力的结果，实际上帮助了她们获得自己也想不到的成就。