Parents and Kids 中美文化差异之十一
在美国，父母总是鼓励子女最大限度地发挥他们的
潜能，并常常鼓励孩子参与学校各种各样的课外活动。
中国的家长是否能从文章中获得启示呢？
In the spring of 1995, I spoke about China to a group of over eighty American second grade students in the U.S. The children were curious about so many things: the Great Wall, pandas, and martial arts. More than any other subject, however, these young people were interested in the relationship between Chinese children and their parents.
As I described how Chinese parents raise their children, drawing on the experiences of my friends and their kids, it occurred to me that parents in the United States and China differ markedly in their approach to parenting.
In the United States, parents tend to encourage their children to develop their potential to the fullest extent --- in a word, to dream. Fathers and mothers frequently instill in their children both ambition and, as importantly, the confidence necessary to work toward their goals.
American parents tend to be very positive: they concentrate on what their kids can do, not what they can't. As a result, millions of American boys and girls grow up hoping to become actors and athletes, diplomats and doctors; many even want to become president.
American parents often encourage their children to become involved in extracurricular activities of all types at school, such as student government, sports and music. They believe that only through involvement in these activities can their children become mature young adults.
Schoolwork is important, to be sure. But parents realize that the social skills their children learn from natural interaction with their peers in non-scholastic settings more closely approximate the skills they will need in the "real world". What's more important in the office place: a sound knowledge of physics or the ability to communicate effectively?
As a rule, Chinese parents do not foster the same kind of ambition and confidence Americans instill in their children, nor do they encourage the same level of participation in extracurricular activities. Children are typically admonished to study hard and pass exams. Too often, time away from schoolbooks is seen as time wasted.
This approach has created so much pressure for Chinese children that leaders in Chinese educational circles have issued calls for less homework at the lower grade levels. Only healthy kids can become healthy adults.
More and more, Chinese parents recognize this. I am very confident about China's future.
同是父母心
1995年春天，我和八十多位美国二年级小学生谈起中国，这些年轻人对许多事都很感兴趣，如：长城、熊猫、武术。然而，更多的人对中国孩子和父母的关系有深厚兴趣，当我向他们描述中国的父母怎样教育孩子时（这是从我的朋友与他们的子女身上得出的经验），我发现美国的父母和中国的父母明显不同。
在美国，父母总是鼓励子女最大限度地发挥他们的潜能――简而言之，去"梦想"。爸爸妈妈们时常向孩子灌输即要有雄心又要有信心，这二者是朝着自己的目标努力工作所必须的，是极其重要的。美国父母倾向于积极地看待子女：他们关心的是孩子能做什么，而不是他们不能做什么。这种教育的结果是，成千上万的美国孩子怀着当演员、运动员、外交官、医生、甚至是当总统的希望长大成人。
美国父母常常鼓励孩子参与学校各种各样的课外活动，诸如学生会、体育活动和音乐活动。他们认为孩子们只有通过参与这类活动才能成熟起来。校内的活动固然是很重要，但是父母意识到，在校外环境中孩子们从与他们伙伴的自然交往中学到的社交能力会更接近"现实世界"所需要的能力。那么在办公室，究竟哪个更重要：是正确的物理知识还是出色的社交能力？
一般而言，中国父母既不会像美国父母那样向子女灌输雄心和信心，也不会那么积极地鼓励子女参加课外活动。孩子们往往被告知要用功学习，考好成绩，只要离开了书本就会被看作浪费时间，这给中国孩子造成了巨大压力，以致于中国教育界人士发出呼吁，要减少低年级孩子家庭作业负担。因为只有健康的儿童才能成长为健康的公民。
越来越多的中国家长认识到这点。我对中国的未来充满了信心。
关键字:欧美文化
生词表:
在美国，父母总是鼓励子女最大限度地发挥他们的
潜能，并常常鼓励孩子参与学校各种各样的课外活动。
中国的家长是否能从文章中获得启示呢？
In the spring of 1995, I spoke about China to a group of over eighty American second grade students in the U.S. The children were curious about so many things: the Great Wall, pandas, and martial arts. More than any other subject, however, these young people were interested in the relationship between Chinese children and their parents.
As I described how Chinese parents raise their children, drawing on the experiences of my friends and their kids, it occurred to me that parents in the United States and China differ markedly in their approach to parenting.
In the United States, parents tend to encourage their children to develop their potential to the fullest extent --- in a word, to dream. Fathers and mothers frequently instill in their children both ambition and, as importantly, the confidence necessary to work toward their goals.
American parents tend to be very positive: they concentrate on what their kids can do, not what they can't. As a result, millions of American boys and girls grow up hoping to become actors and athletes, diplomats and doctors; many even want to become president.
American parents often encourage their children to become involved in extracurricular activities of all types at school, such as student government, sports and music. They believe that only through involvement in these activities can their children become mature young adults.
Schoolwork is important, to be sure. But parents realize that the social skills their children learn from natural interaction with their peers in non-scholastic settings more closely approximate the skills they will need in the "real world". What's more important in the office place: a sound knowledge of physics or the ability to communicate effectively?
As a rule, Chinese parents do not foster the same kind of ambition and confidence Americans instill in their children, nor do they encourage the same level of participation in extracurricular activities. Children are typically admonished to study hard and pass exams. Too often, time away from schoolbooks is seen as time wasted.
This approach has created so much pressure for Chinese children that leaders in Chinese educational circles have issued calls for less homework at the lower grade levels. Only healthy kids can become healthy adults.
More and more, Chinese parents recognize this. I am very confident about China's future.
同是父母心
1995年春天，我和八十多位美国二年级小学生谈起中国，这些年轻人对许多事都很感兴趣，如：长城、熊猫、武术。然而，更多的人对中国孩子和父母的关系有深厚兴趣，当我向他们描述中国的父母怎样教育孩子时（这是从我的朋友与他们的子女身上得出的经验），我发现美国的父母和中国的父母明显不同。
在美国，父母总是鼓励子女最大限度地发挥他们的潜能――简而言之，去"梦想"。爸爸妈妈们时常向孩子灌输即要有雄心又要有信心，这二者是朝着自己的目标努力工作所必须的，是极其重要的。美国父母倾向于积极地看待子女：他们关心的是孩子能做什么，而不是他们不能做什么。这种教育的结果是，成千上万的美国孩子怀着当演员、运动员、外交官、医生、甚至是当总统的希望长大成人。
美国父母常常鼓励孩子参与学校各种各样的课外活动，诸如学生会、体育活动和音乐活动。他们认为孩子们只有通过参与这类活动才能成熟起来。校内的活动固然是很重要，但是父母意识到，在校外环境中孩子们从与他们伙伴的自然交往中学到的社交能力会更接近"现实世界"所需要的能力。那么在办公室，究竟哪个更重要：是正确的物理知识还是出色的社交能力？
一般而言，中国父母既不会像美国父母那样向子女灌输雄心和信心，也不会那么积极地鼓励子女参加课外活动。孩子们往往被告知要用功学习，考好成绩，只要离开了书本就会被看作浪费时间，这给中国孩子造成了巨大压力，以致于中国教育界人士发出呼吁，要减少低年级孩子家庭作业负担。因为只有健康的儿童才能成长为健康的公民。
越来越多的中国家长认识到这点。我对中国的未来充满了信心。
关键字:欧美文化
生词表:
- martial [´mɑ:ʃəl]
a.战争的；象军人的 四级词汇 - drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 四级词汇
- approximate [ə´prɔksimit] a.近似的 v.接近 四级词汇
- participation [pɑ:,tisi´peiʃən] n.参加，参与 六级词汇
文章标签:美文 文化差异
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