Did you do anything to show your love to mum yesterday? As we know the second Sunday of May is defined as Mother’s Day when people express thanks to mothers by giving carnation, taking mum to a fancy restaurant or helping to do housework. It was originated from US but now seems becoming an international day as maternal love is universal. Even so there are quite a few distinctions between how Chinese mothers and western mothers show their love. Is your mum one of them?
At Dinner Table…
Foreign people do not understand why Chinese mum always keep feeding children more than what they need. The old generation of China have experienced food shortage and hunger so that they hope the next generation can eat more instead of suffering from what their parents had. In western countries, people were out of poverty long ago, access to food was relatively easy and they started to pursue fashion.
In addition, Chinese mums think more food help children grow healthier and they do not like wasting. In Chinese culture, children are regarded as a blessing. Relatives in the family often compare and talk about how well children eat to evaluate their health, all in good intention.
This also has a lot to do with food itself. Traditional Chinese cuisines have a reasonable mix of vegetable and meat, so it contains less fat. Maybe this is why many foreigners wonder why our people eat a lot but still not fat…
You Get 100 for at School…
As time progressed, Chinese mothers have been more open in expressing their love. However, in the impression of most people, Chinese mother’s love is still known for conservative, strict and demanding. They place great expectations on their children, wishing that they do not lose at the starting line from the beginning.
In contrast, western mothers give their children more space and freedom to develop children’s interests. Some even adopt the “free-range” way to raise children. They like to educate kids through encouragement. Foreign babies may be less “cared” than the Chinese babies to some extent, but you will soon understand the essence of western mother’s love: you have to be responsible for your own life.
When You Feel Sick…
Everyone is mother’s sweetheart. From young to old, Chinese mum is worried about you all the time, especially when you are sick or hurt. No matter where you go, she wants to stay by your side taking care of you.
Whether in the video or in real life, fathers’ role in western countries seem to know more about sharing parenting problems with their wives while the partner enjoying their work and life. The more fathers participate in parenting, the less pressure mothers would have.
Under cultural contexts, there is no absolutely right or wrong about any ideas. Just like Mama, the first word spoken by almost every baby and the only language that does not require translation, we are in a world that is more and more open with diversified culture. Whether in China or abroad, although mothers express love to their children in different ways, the emotion poured into behind and the desire that they want to communicate are the same.
No matter how big the world is, only maternal love exists on an equal footing beyond language, region, race, identity. Mum, I love you!
