Tiger Parents

Seung Joon Lee
ASA 002
Week 9
11/15/15

Reading "Does Tiger Parenting Exist" by Kim made me reflect on my parents' parenting. I am an Asian American student, but I did not grow up under "tiger parents" or strict parents, unlike most Asian American kids. When I think of Asian tiger parents (or according to stereotypes and my friends), they force you to learn either violin or piano (and you better be good), are a big influence on signing up for AP classes and declaring your major, check your grades and SAT scores, etc.: they basically have the most power on your own choices. Now that I think about it, they trusted me enough to let me make my own choices. I picked up an electric guitar instead of violin, started driving around my sophomore year, managed my GPA on my own, enrolled in an SAT class because I wanted to, and got into a college of my choice. Because they trusted me enough and gave me freedom, I became who I am today. Tiger parenting may have effects on disciplining and shaping the children they way the parents want. However, it is more important to let the children grow up to be themselves and learn to be responsible for their own choices. That's probably what my parents believed.