THE BEST MOM AWARD GOES TO...

Since January of last year, two parenting books have been published and flying off the shelf: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and Bringing Up Bebe.

In both books, authors Amy Chua and Pamela Druckerman compare and contrast the differences between how American mothers raise their children and how mothers in other cultures (Chinese & French) do so. It seems that the overwhelming conclusion is that American moms get a big fat "FAIL" -- they are too lenient with their children, cater to their children's every whim, and are too afraid to impose (or stick to) rules. The result is that American children have no manners, throw temper tantrums, produce average performance, and take criticism poorly. With these accusations, it's a wonder that the United States still function as a nation!

Though I don't disagree with a lot of what the authors speak of (yes, I think that American mothers can often be too soft), I do believe they are extreme in their criticism. This is especially true in Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Despite the harsh accusations and the emergence of mommy communities in opposition, these books have become best sellers.

I hypothesize that this has a lot to do with what David Brooks speaks of in his book, The Paradise Suite, which breaks down what being American is all about. Brooks observes that Americans are always on the quest for perfection. In fact, the American magazine industry was created for such a purpose. If American mothers have room to improve, then they will seek out all the self-help materials to ensure that it happens! Throughout all of their history, Americans have been driven by the "American dream" to create a better, faster, more efficient future. Chua and Druckerman's books have been successful precisely because they feed into this deeper emotional and ideological consumer need.

By tapping into the American psyche, marketers can strike the right cord with consumers.

For moms who would like to explore another child-raising strategy that is not so extreme and is more patriotic, New York Times writers Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang have written an article titled, Building Self-Control, the American Way in response to Chua and Druckerman.