Comparison and consideration of family education between China and America

ABSTRACT

   This is a study on some differences between American and Chinese parenting from two sitcoms, Growing Pains from America and Jia You Er Nv from China. In　order to achieve this objective, the author adopts the methods of content analysis and comparative analysis to make a comparative study of the differences between American and Chinese parenting on parenting goals and expectations, parent-child relationships as well as parenting strategies embodied in the events collected from Growing Pains and Jia You ER Nv.While comparing the differences between American and Chinese parenting, the author employs the individualism-collectivism dichotomy and Confucianism as the theoretical frameworks for this analysis.  

   The results showed that: in the children's education goals and expectations, the Chinese parents have higher goals than the u.s.. Both parents pay attention to training children to be honest the moral character of courtesy, but Chinese parents pay more attention to cultivate children humility harmony, and American parents are more focus on child rearing and independence and respect for others; in the parent-child relationship, the relationship between the child and the parents inequality, and the relationship between children and parents in the United States is equal; in parenting strategies, when children learn outstanding or good performance, Chinese parents are used for their praise and reward, and American parents tend to verbal praise for the matter is not to give material rewards. Chinese parents often criticize their children when their children are poor or poor performance, while American parents are used to the idea and opinion of the child. When children are in conflict, the United States will intervene and resolve conflicts in a fair way, while Chinese parents will often over intervene and resolve conflicts in a fair way. These differences are closely related to the values of individualism in the United States, and the values of collectivism in China.

Key words American and Chinese parenting,difference,individualism, collectivism

   CONTENTS

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………… ii

CONTENTS…………………………………………………………………………… vi

Chapter 1: The differences between family education of China and the United States 1

1.1 Different principles and purpose 1

1.2 Different practices and paths 2

1.3 Different contents in family education 3

Chapter 2: The reason of shortage of China’s family education

3

CHAPTER 3:Differences between American and Chinese Parenting Strategies

4

Chapter 4:The advice of resolving shortage of China’s family education

8

Conclusion 9