Tiger Mom, Redux

Tiger moms reached new heights of notoriety with the publication of Amy Chua's 2011 book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Chua's book clearly states, "This was supposed to be a story of how Chinese parents are better at raising kids than Western ones. But instead, it's about a bitter clash of cultures and a fleeting taste of glory." Chua has also taken pains to clarify that much of the book and its accounting of her parenting is meant as self-parody rather than parenting manual. Chua's efforts did little to stem an outpouring of anger and derision from the public. Tiger moms -- and Asian culture in general -- became the touchstone for all that is wrong with the increasingly wrought college admissions process, education system, and childhood generally, in America today. 

It's true that there are many weaknesses to "tiger parenting." But, amid the cultural maelstrom wrought by Chua's book, it is important to hear from the voices of those who actually grew up under tiger parenting. (Indeed, ML-SAAF exists so that Asians and Asian Americans can communicate and come to understand, among other things, the culturally-tied risk factors within their family systems.)

Five years after the publication of Chua's book, NBC Asian America has released a video giving such "tiger cubs" that voice. Many of the individuals featured emphasize what Chua says she meant to all along: that tiger parenting can be at its best when it challenges our youth with high expectations, but also leaves them no doubt as to our unconditional love.