On the WSJ article "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior"

Mama Lai was really excited when Duckie e-mailed her the WSJ article: "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior" but her excitement turned into grief because she was not nearly as extreme a Chinese mother was described in the article.  She admired Amy Chua's clear writing and her approach to motherhood.  But Mama Lai lamented that she failed her three ducklings in this regard:

"I was not an American mother.  But I was not a Chinese mother either.  I was a middle of the two, confused mother.  You know I'm very good at taking classes, but they don't have classes on being a mother.  I looked at my own parents and their coldness and conservatism and I did not want to be like them.  But I look at American mother and  think it's cool, but not right.  You have kids and there are no guidebooks, but I'm ok with how you three turned out.  Could have been worse, but could have been better."