Amy Chua and Good Parenting

Amy Chua's article in the Wall Street Journal has caused quite an uproar. She asserts that the parenting approach used by Chinese Mothers is "superior." Personally, I think its cruel. But, I'm not sure that matters. I think the important and interesting question is: what is success? Are we only successful parents if our children become doctors? Should our children also grow up to be people with multiple interests, close friends, and something approaching a happy life? Does it matter if they have to seek therapy or turn to alcohol to overcome all that successful parenting? I don't have any answers, because I struggle with the question of success on a pretty frequent basis. Is a stay at home dad a success? Am I only a success if my kids are polite and get straight A's? Do they have to say I love you to each other at least once a day? I understand that it isn't an easy question to answer, but I think it is the one we ought to be thinking about.