High School Chronicles: Ethnic Tiger Moms and Their Overwhelming Presence

Ever since Amy Chua's controversial yet enlightening book "Tiger Mom" was read by millions of people around the world, the term "Tiger Mom" has been integrated into our vocabulary as a way to encompass the stereotype of Asian moms who expect the most out of their children... and nothing less.

As a representative and student from Wootton High School, I can say with confidence that such moms exist and are dominant in our community. Tiger Moms do just as the stereotype reads: they urge their children to play a classical instrument, preferably violin or piano, check edline for grade updates as if there is no tomorrow, and do not settle for anything below an A average on report cards. Although these mothers act out of love to instill morals of hard work and academic excellence into their children, there is a limit to such behavior, especially since high school is a time for independence and exploration of our identities as adolescents.

At Wootton, the stereotypes that many say out of amusement are reality, and although they are not as excessive as Chua's teachings, they do resonate and seem foreign to others not part of an Asian community. Some memorable quotes from Asian friends of mine and Asian students I encounter in the library are:

1. "I got a C on my math quiz... My mom probably won't let me see Breaking Dawn this weekend with you guys." 

2. "Wow, your mom lets you watch tv on a school night?!"

3. "If I get another B my mom will tell me like always that I'll be flipping hamburgers for a career."

Although these may seem like harsh conditions, students at Wootton are more motivated to do well and achieve the highest levels of excellence the more they are pushed by their moms. My Chinese friend's parents are not allowing her to make plans with friends until after she takes the standard SAT in January, but she tells me it encourages her to do her best so that her future has brighter prospects. Also, another additional positive end to such parenting is that these kids are drilled so much that they have no time to even think about participating in illict activities such as doing drugs or underage drinking.

However, the pressure that is mounted by the expectations these moms have can be both overwhelming and exhausting on the students' part and can lead to unhealthy conditions. Many of my friends are so occupied with studying and perfecting their grades that they hardly get exercise and labor away in their rooms from right after school until dinner and then back again. Also, they stay up late until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning doing homework what with the rigor of their AP classes, thus resulting in sleep deprivation. 

An interesting observation I have made while attending Wootton is that students who have one Asian parent and one parent of another ethnic origin do not receive the stereotypical pressure that fully Asian students receive. The values that come from both cultures are fused into one unique and hybrid philosophy, and although there are expectations for the student to do well, the parents are more encouraging and supportive as well as attentive to the well-roundedness of their child. I myself have an Asian mom and an American and Jewish father, and they give me the comforting "Do the best you can and that's all we will ask for" line so that I don't have more pressure than I already do from being in such a competitive environment.

However, thanks to these Tiger Moms, Montgomery County public schools are credited to having some of the highest SAT scores and GPA's in the country, thus causing an influx of families to join the MCPS school system to allow their children to have a "first class education." With the NIH headquarters only thirty minutes away from the school's radius and some of the most influential engineers, doctors and lawyers as parents of students at Wootton, one can say that these parents have expectations for a reason and want their children to have promising, enriching futures.

Although Tiger Moms can be relentless and burdensome in their ways, the community should sincerely give thanks for their production of an unusual yet effective key to success in formulating their children's high school careers, and influencing others around them such as myself to pursue a level of achievement that is attainable if one gives enough effort.