Week 3 - Anika Troeger - A03

Anika Troeger

ASA 002

Section A03

Week 3: Model Minority, Tiger Mom, Affirmative Action, and Newer Debates in Higher Education

Many people believe in the “tiger mom” stereotype, that is, the stereotype of an overbearing, strict, terrifying, and possibly abusive Asian mother. When many think of an Asian mother, the image of an ever looming Tiger mom is shown. They believe that Tiger moms have complete control over their children, raised them through fear and forced their children to apply to certain colleges and even select certain colleges to attend. This stereotype however, is damaging for society and how it views Asian Americans.

According to OiYan Poon and Ajani Byrd’s piece “Beyond Tiger Mom Anxiety: Ethnic, Gender and Generational Differences in Asian American College Access and Choices,” there are many factors that go into choosing a college for Asian-American children. Parental influence is important but it’s importance can depend on whether the student is a first generation college student or not, their economic status, and on whether the parent is East Asian or Southeast Asian. If a student is a first-generation college student, they are more likely to rely on other resources other than their parents for college advice, and Southeast Asians are more likely to be in poverty than East Asians.

My own story is an example of the findings of the survey conducted by Poon and Byrd. My mother, being Thai, is Southeast Asian. She came to America at the age of nineteen, and had to maintain several restaurant jobs to make ends meet. She could not afford, literally, to go to college, and neither could my father, so I am a first generation college student. I could not rely on my parents for college advice and had to find my own resources and rely on high school counselors to get my information. My mother tried her best to encourage me to keep on pursuing higher education due to not being able to do so herself, but also because she wanted me to be happy. She had influence over me, because I did want her to be happy, but the college choice was ultimately mine in the end. She would not be considered a tiger mom by the stereotype, despite being Asian.

The tiger mom stereotype is a generalizing stereotype that paints Asian parents as unloving and strict, when in reality, all an Asian parent could want for their child is for them to succeed and be happy doing so. Labelling all Asian moms as tiger moms makes Asian mothers seem selfish and mean, painting a false negative picture of Asians, when in reality, Asian mothers do love their children and want the best for them.

Insert Video Here

Question: Why is it that East Asians seem to have succeeded more in America than Southeast Asians?

Media: This video is an example of good, loving relationships between a Asian mother and her child. 

BuzzfeedVideo (2015). Asian Moms and Their Kids Imitate Each Other. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIPL1ZMdu0g

Poon, O., Byrd, A. (2013, Fall). Beyond Tiger Mom Anxiety: Ethnic, Gender and Generational Differences in Asian American College Access and Choices