I am an angel! :)

Ah.......  smile, happy...... I feel good.  I am an angel!  Yes, in comparison to Amy Chua, I am an angel!

As I am typing this, one of my teenagers read the title of this post and went on to say sarcastically "I am an angel. Wow, you are an angel. Wow!  Can't wait to read this!" and rolled her eyes and laughed!

Amy's controversial article about the way she brought up her kids, had caused an uproar since its publication on 8th January 2011.  As of today, it is still the top three most read and commented article in The Wall Street Journal, Asia Edition.

Two weeks ago, I was discussing this article with a group of friends who are, like me, mothers.  Between us, four mothers,  that afternoon I discovered that we have differing styles in bringing up our chidren.

I try to be patient but patient is not my virtue.  I try to be soft-spoken, teach patiently but usually without warning I will erupt like a volcano.  I, for one, am certainly not Mother Theresa.  My sister is the total opposite. We are so different that we are like night and day. Though we are of the same parents, with the same upbringing but yet when it comes to parenting our children, we are like oil and water.  Why so different?  I do wonder sometimes but never could come up with a satisfactory answer for myself. 

Of course sometimes I do feel guilty that I have been strict with my children.  I don't expect my children to score straight As but the least I expect is that best efforts are put in.  I go berserk when I have to remind them to do their homework as I expect homework to be done without me having to nag them.  I make up for being strict by giving them cuddles and hugs or going crazy with them.  At dinner or bed times, or weekends the children get to twist me around their fingers.  So it is nice to know despite my being strict, my children still let me into their secrets, share their crazy ideas and just hang out 'like friends' (so they say).  It is especially nice to hear them say 'You're my bestest friend, mum!" and that will get me started! - and they know it will! - telling them off that there's no such word as "bestest".

With all the brickbats in Amy's way, I like what  Sophia has to say in defence of her mother's provocative article.  Every mother subscribes to different ways to bring up her offspring and only the family knows what's really going on.

As long as the family unit knows there's a balance and we can still connect with one another, I guess we are fine. But I must say "Amy, thank you for making me look so angelic!"

 "Loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult."   ~ Nadia Boulanger (1887 - 1979) ~