Chinese motherhood in the UK

Confucianism is said to be the main philosophical backdrop that influences Chinese traditions and norms, and thought to significantly impact the lives of Chinese immigrant communities, particularly familial relationships. Within existing research and popular accounts of Chinese families, children are often perceived as conformist, hardworking high achievers. Their parents in turn, are seen as strict, controlling, and guilty of placing high demands on their children to succeed academically. This chapter draws upon a small research study, based in England, to explore Chinese mothering to investigate such perceptions. The chapter argues that parental upbringing, connectedness with children, acceptance of Westernisation, and external processes are important factors to consider when discussing Chinese motherhood, which helps to challenge dominant and homogenous cultural findings of the past.