Tame Your Inner Tiger

[Crabtownboy]

Your take?

Controlling parents tend to have children who are academically above average but depressed

All parents struggle to find the right balance between encouragement and discipline when it comes to raising their kids. This past winter Yale University law professor Amy Chua drew roars of protest when she asserted in her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, that successful parenting entails controlling most aspects of a child’s life, from prohibiting playdates and sleepovers to screaming at children for getting grades lower than an A. What does research say about this style of child-rearing?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tame-your-inner-tiger

 

[rbell]

When a parent places all value of their kids in the realm of academic acheivement, or hyper-competitive standardization, what else would one expect?

(egads...did I just agree with CTB? Where's the nearest bridge! I gots ta jump!! )

Seriously...Not every kid is cut out to be "exceptional" when the world's standard is applied. Give me a kid gifted by God, and recognized by me (not in THAT order...just sayin' I ought to see what God is doing)...and all will be well. (Maybe my kid isn't a 36 ACT/1600 SAT kid...but if he/she is doing what God called them to...then who the heck cares?)

Having said that...I'm not willing to sacrifice moral and Spiritual integrity for my child's acceptance. But I don't have to "scream" to stand for something...

 

[InTheLight]

Seriously...Not every kid is cut out to be "exceptional" when the world's standard is applied. Give me a kid gifted by God, and recognized by me (not in THAT order...just sayin' I ought to see what God is doing)...and all will be well. (Maybe my kid isn't a 36 ACT/1600 SAT kid...but if he/she is doing what God called them to...then who the heck cares?)

Agree. Another way to put it is thusly: Would you rather your child be a person of good character or good grades?

 

[targus]

Agree. Another way to put it is thusly: Would you rather your child be a person of good character or good grades?

Why is it an either or?

I prefer that my children are of good character and also at the top of their field and class.

 

[abcgrad94]

I prefer that my children are of good character and also at the top of their field and class.

I prefer that my kids love God will all their heart, soul, and mind, and do their best. If that places them at the top, bottom, or somewhere in the middle, it's fine as long as they are doing their best.

 

[carpro]

I prefer that my kids love God will all their heart, soul, and mind, and do their best. If that places them at the top, bottom, or somewhere in the middle, it's fine as long as they are doing their best.

In a politically oriented Christian forum of this type, it is sometimes good to be reminded of the basics.

Thanks for the reminder.

We all want our children to be good citizens. An honest effort to make good grades is a good beginning measure of their progress toward good citizenship. But loving God is the beginning point for it all.

 

[JTornado1]

Your take?

I don't like Amy Chua's tactics at all. She reportedly called her daughter, "garbage." Kids have enough problems nowadays without their own parents insulting them.

What if these tiger tactics don't work and you end up with a kid who makes average grades? Disown him or her? :tear: