What does 'tiger mother' mean? - YouTube
Feifei: Hi Neil. Good holiday?
Neil: Lovely, thanks. You know
I adore the beach.
Feifei: Your kids must have loved it too?
Neil: Ah, they didn't come. They were
at summer music camp.
Feifei: That's very dedicated!
Neil: Well, they have piano exams
to pass, Feifei. And then there's
a French test when
term starts again, so they've been having
intensive French lessons every evening.
Feifei: Wow, you really are tiger parents!
Neil: Tiger what?
Feifei: I mean you push your kids
to achieve success at school.
A 'tiger mother' or 'tiger
parenting' describes a particular kind of
strict upbringing.
Neil: Well, let's say we just want
what's best for our kids.
Even if they don't appreciate it yet!
Feifei: The phrase 'tiger mother' was first
used to describe a style
of raising children common in some
traditional East Asian households,
though it can be adopted by anyone.
Neil: It appeared in a book by
Chinese American law professor
Amy Chua, who claimed her academic
success was partly thanks to her own
tiger mother. Let's hear examples.
I never got to relax as a child.
My tiger mother had me up at 7am
practising the violin
every Saturday and Sunday.
We've decided to let little Bruno
do whatever he wants, whenever he
wants. I'm worried tiger
parenting would stress him out.
I have my tiger parents to thank for
making me learn my multiplication tables
at the age of three.
I would never have become
the governor of the bank otherwise.
Neil: You are listening to The English We
Speak from BBC Learning English.
Our expression is 'tiger mother'.
Well Feifei, how to be a good parent
is always a subject of debate.
Tiger parenting is no exception.
It all depends on your values, really.
Feifei: Absolutely. In any case, Neil, it
sounds like your kids have had a very
busy summer of learning. What are you
up to with them this weekend,
anything fun?
Neil: We're going to the zoo.
Feifei: That's nice. A reward for
getting good grades?
Neil: Yes. Though we're going
to take our notebooks too. They have
to learn so much about animals
if they want to get top grades
in biology this year.
Feifei: You really are
a tiger parent!
Neil: Roar.
Feifei: Bye.
Neil: Bye.
