I just finished "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom" by Amy Chua and I have to say that I loved it. I could not put it down. I put a request in at the library not long after it came out and it finally came out. When it came out, it was discussed and criticized consistently in the media which is what peaked my curiosity.
First, why did I like it. I am not sure. It is really not my style of book. I think that it was because it was similar to a train wreck. If you are driving down the road and see a train wreck, you want to look away. The only problem is that you can't, you're drawn to the wreck and just keep looking at it. The book is a bit like that. You keep asking yourself, "did she really just do/say that?" and then wait to see what she does next. It is important to note that the book itself is amazingly well written. Not surprising though. Amy is a professor at Yale. What I mean is that it has a rhythm or a beat to it that makes it just a nice read.
Secondly, I think that she as a very good point about western parents. In many respects, we are too weak on our kids. Her kids are amazing piano and violin players and she makes them (oh, and she totally makes them) practice for 4 to 6 hours a day. When I was learning to play, my parents would make me practice 4 to 6 minutes a week...maybe. I am not saying that they should have made me practice more. In fact, I am pretty sure that I would have fought like a crazy person to make sure it did not happen, though I wish they would have have. The same with school. When we moved to Texas from Minnesota, I was so far ahead that I did not need to do homework or study. Then when it came time that I needed to, I did not know how to. I am not suggesting that western parents should raise their kids like a Tiger Mother, it can not be very much fun for the parents or the kids (the author would say that that is a very western thought, parenting is not about being fun), but maybe in some ways we should. In the same breath, if western parents should be more like Asian parents, then Asian parents should be more like western parents.
Lastly, it was very interesting to me when she mentioned that it was mainly Asian and eastern European families that pushed their kids with music. A young lady that I ride the bus and train home with from Swedish School is a piano teacher. She said that 80% of the music students on scholarship at the top music schools in Boston are either Asian or from Eastern Europe. The train was early this week, so we had a couple of extra minutes, so we talked a little about this book and her observations. On a side note, did you know that a piano teacher in Boston gets paid $60-80 an hour to teach piano. When I heard that, I really wish my parents would have pushed me more to be a great player (so that I could teach music on the side, not for the love of music).
In conclusion (I feel like I might have been doing a book report, so I might as well finish that way), I would totally recommend reading it. It will get one thinking, which is always a good thing. M just started it last night and I am looking forward to her finishing it so we can discuss it over music school brochures and private school applications.
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