Having grown up in an Asian community, I have heard almost every stereotype that exists, and I can confidently say that most of them are not true. No, I’m not just talking about outrageous things like eating dogs. I’m talking about Asian parenting in a more general sense — most of my friends and my parents are Asian Given that, I consider myself qualified to discuss this topic.
I was born and raised in Hawaii until I was eight years old, living in my grandmother’s flower garden, chasing chickens and running in the fields with my older brother. Sometimes I would go to her aunt’s house to watch TV and eat junk food. Waimanalo She’s less than 10 minutes to the beach, so she spent the whole day sunbathing, building sandcastles, and boogie boarding.
During the school year, my parents drove my brother and I to Manoa Elementary School. I still don’t know how many points I got, but considering the amount of studying, the report card certainly didn’t look good. Still, I was never scolded, and to be honest, I thought I was doing well.
At the time, my mom was working multiple jobs and my dad was on his PhD, so he couldn’t pick up my brother and I right after school. There are many Japanese in Hawaii, so my parents sent us to Japanese after school. Sadly, all I remember from his two years after school is how to fold paper cranes.
Anyway, my parents were too busy to be the intimidating shadows Asian parents are often portrayed to be. I wasn’t under pressure to do well academically, nor did I go to a tutoring center.
My parents were always pretty open and affectionate when they found the time. Her mother would take her brother and I on hikes and ride golf carts around the farm. Every day after school in Japan, her father would pick her up from her office.
Contrary to stereotypes, my father loved spending time with us and would goof around in the backyard or take us when we worked on the farm. He carried us on his shoulders and taught us how to climb trees.
Obviously, not all Asians are raised this way, and some would say my parents are very unusual, but it’s hard to lump Asian and “Asian” parenting into one category. you can’t. After all, Asian parents are human too, and like everyone else, they have their own set of flaws, traumas, and experiences that make up who they are.
Yet, like all stereotypes, there is some truth to the reputation Asian parents earn. I understand that there are people After making many sacrifices and growing up in a more conservative culture, many Asian immigrant parents limit the amount of time their children spend with friends. Some ban sleepovers and dating, while others enforce conservative gender roles and limit the interests children can explore.
Asian cultures are generally less warm and receptive than Western cultures, but love is still expressed. My mother, who emigrated to America to live with her father, had to work multiple jobs to support her family. On many occasions, colleagues would avoid her speaking less than perfect English. We celebrated the little things and moved to California to enjoy a higher standard of living after my father got his Ph.D. She doesn’t have a designer purse and doesn’t wear jewelry, but she enjoys ordering sweets from bakeries and restaurants for my family to enjoy. Her affection is shown more openly than Asian parent stereotypes suggest, but the underlying theme applies to other Asian parents as well. The most powerful expression of their love is sacrifice.
