World parenting styles

Dear Andy: How do parenting styles differ in the various countries you have recently visited? I am VERY interested! – Amy in Bellingham

Dear Amy: In the US, kids are told they can be anything they want to be. What a crock. I wanted to be a frickin’ truck driver. I even had my handle picked out – Diesel Trucker. But my dad had other ideas and sent me off to business school. Now they just call me Mr. Wallis. Anyway, here’s a quick rundown of some observations from my recent travels:

• Russia – Poor bastard kids never have a chance. They’re beaten daily with a hammer and cycle.
• Mongolia- there’s only one career choice in Mongolia. All kids are trained as wall breaker downers.
• China-If you’re a girl, your job is to be adopted by a nice wealthy American family. If you’re a boy, you will be raised to fight off the Mongolians.
• France- French girls are raised to be dainty and feminine, just like the boys.