Somehow I was persuaded to discuss my parenting style in light of Amy Chua's new book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, in public, as in big city newspaper. My essay, which will appear in the Philadelphia Inquirer Wednesday, begins this way:
"I owe Amy Chua a big thank you. Finally, someone’s a meaner mom than I am."
Now that it's headed for print, I'm a little nervous about the reaction it will get. Chua has gotten blasted for her iron-fist policies, ever since an excerpt appeared in the Wall Street Journal. As you'll see, I think her ideas are refreshing.
She's gotten threats and mean-spirited criticism. Locally, as in my household, my new nickname is Tiger Mom. It's still said more or less affectionately. So I think I'm safe for now.
My essay's timing, though, is rather ironic. The day after my essay appears, my son's school is holding a mandatory health seminar on stress. One of the themes will be the pressure of high expectations on children. Wonder if the researcher is an Inquirer reader? Then in March, the school is screening Race to Nowhere, a film about the mental-health crisis among young people that is, apparently, the result of high expectations.
It should be an interesting few weeks. I'll post the full essay on Wednesday.
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