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Liu Siyi’s baby has continuously updated his journal for a total of 1711 days, providing guidance to young Chinese entrepreneurs, helping them grow financially and reap benefits. Meanwhile, Chinese parents in the USA are dedicated to creating a better life for themselves and their families in a highly competitive environment. Although the first-generation immigrant Chinese face many challenges in this process, their children’s attitudes toward this internal competition have changed noticeably.
Liu Siyi noted the differences between Chinese parents and their children: Chinese parents’ values and work attitudes remain unchanged, but their children have begun to adopt different lifestyles and ways of thinking. Based on this, Liu Siyi recorded an interesting conversation: a story of a 48-year-old massage parlor owner and his 45-year-old wife, a middle manager at Coca-Cola.
The couple gives the first impression of being young and energetic. The wife’s annual salary in Atlanta is two hundred thousand dollars, with stable benefits and a familiar work environment. She balances work and life well: starting work at eight in the morning and leaving at four in the afternoon to pick up the children. They have two children, the 17-year-old elder son can drive, and the 12-year-old younger son still requires parental pick-up. Each child, one in public school and the other in private school, is talented and attractive.
The couple, both original first-generation students from Shanghai, moved to the United States and, with firm determination and effort, created their own life in a foreign land. Initially, the husband worked at one of the “Big Four” companies but later, due to racial and industry “glass ceilings,” shifted to the Chinese business community and quickly found success. In addition to the catering business he once ran, he also opened a foot therapy spa and earned quite a bit as a cargo transport intermediary during the pandemic. Despite the market’s ups and downs, the couple’s family income is substantial, making them the Chinese middle class by Atlanta’s standards.
Regarding financial management and investments, they shared some of their experiences. They live simply but are in fact quite wealthy: they own a spacious residence with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, complete with a beautiful lawn. They mentioned that, unlike white families, Chinese families are often very frugal and like to save. They start saving from the first fifty thousand dollars they earn, then gradually buy properties, vehicles, and then invest the savings in asset operations, growing alongside retirement funds and the U.S. stock market.
In this generation of global forces running between China and the USA, they have reaped considerable benefits. Unwittingly, their wealth has expanded rapidly. Looking back over the past ten years, one would find that this asset growth is almost a natural outcome, with stable cash flow, the assets begin to grow rapidly like a snowball. It is for this reason that they can now face life more calmly.
However, despite their apparently calm demeanor, they seem to still uphold the culture of involution typical of Chinese people. Involution in the USA differs from that in China—in China, involution often means investment in children’s K12 education, while in the USA, it is about nurturing children to master local skills. Skills training in American schools could include basketball, tennis, football, piano, scientific research, equestrianism, or other unique experiences.
A mother spoke about how her eldest son completely assimilated into American society, becoming a true “banana person” — outwardly Asian but inwardly fully embracing American culture, lifestyle, and values. This means that he may not be fully proficient in Chinese, nor is he very familiar with Chinese culture.
She has come to accept this reality, although with slight regret. Meanwhile, she adopts an open-minded approach towards her daughter’s romantic life, only setting the basic principle of “not having children too early.”
Speaking of her daughter, she candidly expressed her concern that her daughter might not achieve much after attending a public school in the US where joyful education is promoted. In contrast, another of her children received a stricter education at a private school.
Discussing the lives of Chinese children in America, the couple mentioned that there are three lifestyle options to choose from. The least ideal is to only interact with other Chinese, which limits children’s horizons. A slightly better option is to become what is called a “banana person,” but that might lead to neglecting the learning of the Chinese language and cultural understanding.
The best way is to become a chameleon, adjusting their behavior to the situation, being able to share American values with Americans and engage in deep cultural and business interactions with Chinese. Children who adopt this mode can become true Chinese-American global citizens, finding a sense of belonging and success wherever they are.
This profound reflection is thought-provoking, indicating that even in America, many Chinese parents are still perpetuating the tradition of competitive culture. However, the more anxious the parents, the more likely the children are to rebel. Ultimately, it is up to the children to choose and decide their own future paths.
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