Out of the following moms in America, native-born white moms, immigrant Chinese moms, and Mexican immigrant moms, guess who is the most nurturing? Mexican moms are! A study compared the parenting styles of all three groups and it looks like the Mexican immigrant moms came out on top.
It turns out that Mexican moms provided a "more warm and supportive home setting," argue less with their spouses, and show stronger mental health than white, native-born Americans and Chinese-Americans. So does that make them better moms?
I guess it depends on what you think matters most in mothering. Unfortunately, Mexican moms read to their kids less. Uh oh, no tiger moms here, apparently. But despite that, I think helping your child feel loved and secure is the most important thing a parent can do.
Well, I would. I'm the daughter of a Mexican mom. Actually, she's half Mexican, half Puerto Rican, and she was born in the US (her mother was born in Mexico). But I do think we were raised in a very warm and supportive home setting. Except when we were getting spanked! My mom played both sides in our family. She was strict and could lose her temper. But she was also loving, encouraging, always into what we were doing. We really got the sense that we mattered to her.
Ideally we all borrow from each other -- and I guess that's what immigrant families do after a generation or two. Hopefully we're keeping what makes Mexican children (and families) strong and adding what can also make them smart and well-prepared for competitive American life.
Are you surprised that Mexican immigrant moms are more nurturing than white American moms?
Image via Adriana Velez
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
KStew Refuses to Shower
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Comments 72
I had a Mexican babysitter and I will tell you why this opinion might be. Becaue you DONT CROSS THEM!! At least my sitter anyway. She was a small woman but scary! She did show affection but if you crossed her line, watch out! I loved her very much but her kids, my brother and I, toed the line in her house thats for sure. Lol
I enjoy learning about different cultures, some are more nurturing than others. I wouldn't go as far as getting to the nitty gritty of what kind of mothers are out there though. Most foriegn countries seem to be a lot more nurturing and sometimes a little more caring about their children than americans, and I agree with the other women on here it highly depends on the mother and I think it also depends on how the mother was raised herself. Most people who grow up in warm loving families tend to give that same warmth and love to their own children.
I feel like this isnt a very good study I lived in mexico and and Most of my family by marriage is mexican on my side of the family and my fiances family is mexican and Im permantly going to live in mexico and travel there all the time but Im not saying thats its not true but I get tired of people from mexico and mexicans here stereotyping amercians i hate it I make my meals from scratch and everyone like omg you made this wow i didnt think americans cooked and comments like that it just aggravates the crap out of me so I just hate studys like this
Everyone seems so defensive. Impressive. Culture does play a part in how one raises their children and if you think that is not true then maybe you are too prejudice from your experiences or blind from you sheltered life. Sure there are bad people in all cultures--but just as your claim is not to categorize people as being better than others don't categorize these women as villains to make your point. Some of the comments above especially trying to justify why "MEXICAN's" are not good parents are very hateful--"my friend is dating a mexican-they given them pop and don't use carseats" OMG are you serious. How ignorant do you sound. Hopefully you are a troll and are not that ignorant to actually say that. My mother is white my father is mexican. Im married to a filipino. I work with pregnant women EVERY DAY---and yes I observe differences in their dealings with their pregnancy, children, and how they deal postpartum. I live in a college town so I have a predominant white and asian base community however I trained for 4 years wtih immigrant mothers. I can't say they are "better" at things but to be able to observe the differences between these groups of women is obvious. So stop being so defensive and try to learn something. Maybe another culture can teach us how to be better at things. Wow. Really. Wow.
Of course there are cutural differences in parenting, just like everything else. However, I think this is probably a very small group and doesn't tell the larger picture, there are many variables.
I dont agree with this article at all. Sorry! I think it just depends on what the person's family value's are...
Just pointing out that Mexican is not a race. Its an ethnicity.
Only 3 races, a gagillion ethnicities. My husband is hispanic and on his license, his race is listed as Caucasion. Plus of course I learned that back in high school. There are many cultural differences based more so on ethnicities than races.