The real tiger mother: From the clinical geneticist's perspective

Abstract

The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua raises questions about motherhood and what is admirable. Chua promotes strict, Old World, uncompromising values stressing academic performance above all, insisting on drilling and practice, and instilling respect for authority. As clinical geneticists, we meet an entirely different type of mother than Chua, the clinical genetics mother who fights illnesses, schools, hospital policies, and insurance companies. She battles not against her child but for her child. With brilliance and resilience, she creates a child-centered world. The stories of four clinical genetics mothers rally us to reject extreme parenting and appreciate the simple joys of childhood. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.