In our upcoming May issue, our behaviour expert Michael Weiss talks about the Tiger Mom phenomenon. This authoritarian style of parenting is by no means new (if anything, itโs old), but it has a new currency with the release of Amy Chuaโs book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.ย In short, a Tiger Mom or Dad parents with an iron fist. Itโs their way or the high way.
One of the characteristics of a child raised by a โtiger momโ is that he or she plays the piano or violin โย and very well. The illustration with Michaelโs column is an overbearing mother coaching her child at the piano. And the first thing I thought when I saw it โ OMG, Iโm a tiger mom!
OK, Iโm not as bad as Chua describes in her book, drilling her children until they get it right, not letting them up from the bench. But I confess, my children have withered into tears as we sat before the keys, upset at my impatience, me upset with their unwillingness to practise a piece more than, say, once.
So where does encouraging children to do their best and meet new challenges head-on cross the line into tiger territory? Is this a reaction โย or even an overreaction โ to the permissive style of parenting that has supposedly led to a generation of coddled, entitled young people?
The solution, according to Michael, makes total sense โย aim for somewhere in the middle. Simple, right? Let me know how thatโs going.
