Chinese Tiger Mothers

There's been a lot in the news recently about the "Tiger Mother, " Amy Chua, who has written an apology for an Asian Stereotype.

In short, she defends remorseless and aggressive parenting defined by denial of silly things like art (except violin or piano) and social activities, and pressure on preformance in school (primarily in math and science).

I'm familiar with the stereotype she represents with such gusto, but what she's been doing for western audiences has been done much better and more humorously in High Expectations Asian Father blog, where I got the screen grab on Jan 29th, 2011.

Hasn't anyone read, or at least seen, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan? The model has some serious backlash. Relationships between parent and child may benefit from more guidance, discipline and/ or involvement than many (most?) American parents invest - but the bond can be strained and even broken by too much negative reinforcement and withholding of affection.

The Chinese Language newspaper we picked up at Ho's (an Taiwanese market on 95th and I-35) followed a discussion among an ethnic Chinese community - and in the Chinese language (unsimplified). The consensus among those with closer ties to traditional Chinese culture than Hua is not in support of her. They compare her to a traditional story - a children's fairy tale about a tiger who disguiesed herself as a woman to get at some kids by marrying a widower. The story is as gruesome as the original Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and a little Red Riding-hood. Key in the telling is the sounds of the tiger crunching the bones of the children. The tiger is always the tiger's 1st priority.

Interestingly this Tuesday marks the end of the year of the tiger. I had been teaching for a couple years in Taiwan the last time we had a year of the tiger. I taught adults in evening classes and noticed that of nearly 500 students per semester I had no pregnant women in class in the year of the tiger. Once the year of the Rabbit got well under way there were about a dozen pregnant women scattered throughout my classes. Tigers are a strong sign, but they aren't much desired. Also, Tigers are not welcome at weddings.



References

• The Wall Street Journal on "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior" - written by the author, Amy Chua.
  
• Slate on why we let the father's role slide from our conversation in "Tiger Mom. Terrible role model"
• And the Huffington Post response by a sociologist and professional parent educator with a PhD in "Why Amy Chua is Wrong About Parenting"
  

Critiquing layout and design: Message fail?

This billboard faces the east-bound lane of I-70 just outside of Topeka, KS. My wife and I used to look forward to the last image on this board - it said, "Superpower your baby" and had a badly photoshopped greased/ cowlicked baby head on a superman body. The text sent a positive message re: breastfeeding and reading to your baby - both activities I support. The graphics just cracked us up. But the first few times we saw this board no one spoke.

Note this picture has been enlarged, enhanced and sharpened. Traveling at 70 mph, the fine print disappears. Try standing back from your screen to get the effect. I read a harsh message for working mothers.

I try to live by a philosophy of , "Don't attribute to malice what can otherwise be explained by incompetence," and I want to trust the KS Department of Health (who sponsored the message) has it's heart in the right place, but the look at the picture. Why a baby blue background? To blend with the sky and make it invisible (not effective from a marketing perspective), or to call to mind male babies? Why? And white lettering on a pale blue background?

"Being a mother doesn't stop from 9-5" has to sting any mother. Isn't working outside the home for a new mother an incredibly touchy subject - that should be approached carefully with sensitivity and tact? Not until stopping by the side of the road as close as I could get to take this picture did I even see the fine print about, "ask your employer for breastfeeding options." THAT should be the privileged text - that should pop - but it's nearly invisible. And why would someone look twice if the initial image slapped them with guilt trip?

I've only discussed this with one other person, but feedback would be appreciated - is this an epic fail, something worse, merely lame, or am I reading too much into this? I grew up in an art studio and used to have these sort of discussions. Is it effective for it's intended audience? I'd also appreciate anyone analyzing the photo/graphic.