'Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother'

This is the book written by a mom about a very strict Asian parenting style.  I haven't read the whole book, only articles about it.  So I'm not fully informed.  (Nothing new, there.)  From what I understand, though, she wouldn't let her children have play dates, watch TV, play computer games, or even play at all really.  The children had to do hours every day of school work and practicing music.  On one occasion she wouldn't let her daughter go to the bathroom or have a drink until she'd successfully played the music piece, which took hours.  If the children disobeyed her she would threaten to burn their stuffed animals.

Wow.  On the serious side, as a Western parent, this seems to me to be very harsh.  Now I'm not one of those parents who thinks it's good to give her kids everything and to be their best friend.  In fact I think this is a recipe for disaster.  I know how crucial it is to give children responsibility and to give them chores.  It's important to teach respect and a work ethic.   However, I do think 'Tiger Mom' goes too far.  I think you can teach the value of hard work without torturing and degrading the poor kids.  There's got to be a middle ground. 

On the lighter side, all of a sudden I feel like such a great parent!  Instead of castigating myself for yelling at the kids too much, suddenly I'm congratulating myself that I have never, not even once, threatened to burn their stuffed animals.  Not only that, but I allow my son to go to the bathroom during a time-out.  I'm pretty good, right?  He knows he has to get right back on that time-out chair when he's done, of course.  But there's teaching and there's humiliating, and a big difference in between.

I'm not sure if my children really appreciate what a great parent I am, however.  Surprising, eh?   My boys complain if I give one of them .5 more of a sprinkle on his ice cream than the other one got.  (Hmmmm....maybe I should work them a little harder.) 

I guess the message is not to be a tiger mom or a mouse mom.  But something in the middle.  I'm not sure what.  An 'elk mom' doesn't quite have the right ring to it.  I'll get back to you.