Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Hear the Tiger Kid Roar


Is your mom a tiger mom too? Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom is a book by Amy Chua published in 2011 that became a hotly debated topic among individuals. The book coined and popularized the word “tiger mom” and now it is widely used to describe Asian moms.

So what exactly are Asian moms like? Or what describes a tiger mom? A tiger mom now portrays moms who practice strict child rearing, which most commonly refers to Asian moms who practice traditional parenting. In my definition, traditional parenting is when parents set extreme boundaries for their children and restricts them from many activities such as sleepovers or other social activities that they believe may hinder academics. It also means setting high objectives for their children such as getting into Harvard for college.

Now, I certainly can relate to the word “tiger mom”. The descriptions of a tiger mom fits my mom’s characteristics; it is then when I realized I am not alone. My mom is indeed a typical Asian parent who expects the best out of me. Like Amy Chua’s children, I was put in a Western education system, which is the trigger of the arising conflicts between a tiger mom and a “hybrid” kid.

I was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. However, I attended an international school called Taipei American School since 5th grade. The school is an American based institution that emphasizes on Western values and strives to educate students to become creative thinkers, healthy individuals, and versatile learners. The conflict now arises since back at home I have a mom who preaches on traditional Chinese values and exemplifies all the qualities of a tiger mom. While in school I am encouraged to explore my talents and build on my individuality, my mother already has everything planned out for me in terms of what will be best for my future. Like all other tiger moms, my mom expects me to work hard and do well in school, which means getting straight A’s. On the other hand, the school preaches on the importance of extracurricular activities and development of your hobby. What should I do? Should I go home to study so I can achieve the highest GPA possible or should I stay in school to join a club and enrich myself through activities?

Why put your kids in an American based institution if you still want to exercise traditional parenting is often the question I have towards my mom. However, of course, I never had the chance to speak up to her since that would be considered disrespectful and rude. My mom believes that the Western education is better than the Chinese education and by studying in the United States, it will ensure a better future. How ironic! The reason to put me in a Western institution is based on a tiger mom’s hope to pave the path to success for her children.

What’s more ironic is my mom believes that the Western education system is superior because it encourages creativity and open mindedness. Western education focuses on making individuals and students express their concerns and ideas openly with their teachers. However, in the Eastern education system, the teacher is the knowledge provider and the authority; thus, the teacher should not be questioned. By putting me through the western education system, she would like me to explore my talent and develop myself; however, she was against the idea of me majoring in fine arts. Like any other tiger moms, she believes that being a business major guarantees a more stable future than that of fine arts major. Once again, on one hand, my tiger mom wants me to learn from the Western education system and develop my interest and learn to have a voice and personality; on the other hand, she’s infringing on my development by making life decisions for me. Now I am confused.

Exploring on what a tiger mom is like and looking at tiger moms through personal experience, I would like to share my experience as the kid who has been through it all. Not only am I relating with those like me, but also it is to speak up to the tiger moms out there since I’m sure the cubs never had the chance to! So listen up, it is time to hear a cub roar.

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