Why tiger parents are more successful

In 2009 at Saratoga High, Asians scored 88% on the math STAR test. By contrast, Caucasians and Latinos scored a mere 70% and 59%, respectively (Saratoga Accountability Report Card), shining light on how Asians dominate in academics. Just look at the composition of the math club, or speech and debate club: the Asian ethnicity far outnumbers its peers, even though only 48% of the school population is Asian.

The reasons for the lopsided academic competition lie in Asian parenting, deemed tiger parenting. To clarify, tiger parenting is defined by parents who are unafraid to chastise their children and tolerate nothing less than excellence. It is not defined by race, only it is more preeminent among Asians.

In her controversial book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua explains tiger parenting. Tiger parents demand perfect grades because they believe in their child’s ability, she said. They assume that the only reason for “substandard performance” is because the child did not work hard enough, and this deserves chastisement.

Some parents never chastise because they say it harms the child. These parents ranted on how Chua once called her daughter “garbage,” when her daughter was disrespectful.
However, the same daughter recently wrote an article arguing for her mom’s methods, proving that she was not devastated or “clawed by the tiger,” as pundits claimed.

In my case, I would never willingly admit to a B on a test because I know that my parents would be immensely disappointed. I remember proudly telling my mom about receiving a 39 of 40 on the MARS test. To my surprise, she only frowned, furrowed her brow, and gravely remarked, “Samuel, this is a reflection of your character.” I also got a 140% on a curved math final, and my mom’s response was, “Oh, uh… good job.”

My parents never reward me for high test scores, because they know success is a sufficient reward. Rather, they focus on negatives and prod me to improve, never allowing me to become fatheaded.

Tiger parents are different in the way they see their children: whereas cautious parents assume fragility, tiger parents expect and demand strength in the face of criticism.

Tiger parents also demand perseverance, as they refuse to quit, and this is where my parents failed.

My mom foisted the piano upon me, and I loathed it. After six grueling years, she was at her wits’ end so she let me quit.

At first, I was overjoyed. Yet looking back, I realize that behind that seemingly glorious victory was six precious years wasted.

“If I could restart, I would force you [to play],” my mom said, “[but] I felt that if we continued, we would fight and I would harm you with words, and you were very, very stubborn.”

Parents often fear for self-esteem. What they don’t realize is that giving up hurts self-esteem more than anything, and the final result, success, is the greatest confidence booster. By contrast, tiger parents understand that the end justifies the means.

The combined factors of sugar coating, quitting in the face of adversity, and accepting low performance are responsible for one harsh fact: America has one of the worst educations among developed countries. Rather than lowering our standards, we need to inspire in our students a desire to excel, and give them a curriculum comparable to those of the rest of the world.

In truth, so many fiercely reacted to Chua’s article because it touched right at the heart of American doubt: we are falling from the integrity and work ethic of our forefathers that made us a great nation. Perhaps tiger parenting is the key to regain our past successes. It just might produce an innovative, ambitious generation of young people who will revolutionize our country to further greatness. If America is to continue to prosper and compete with the rest of the world, its parents need to toughen up and tiger-fy.