In China, mothers define themselves by their children. They live vicariously through their sons and daughters. When their children stumble and fall, their mothers feel the pain; when their children achieve in school or in sports, their mothers rejoice. For Chinese mothers, there is no life or joy beyond their children; in fact, their children are life itself.

In the Western world, mothers have lives outside of their kids. They have their own friends and hobbies; they aren’t consumed by what their children are doing or thinking. Children, too, are more independent. Child and mother are not, as in China, one entity; they are unique, finite people.

Tune in this week as experts in childrearing and motherhood offer our Chinese mother’s advice in creating lives outside of their children.