Now it's the turn of the Wolf Dad to roar ...
Source: Xinhua |
November 21, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FOLLOWING the roars of the "Tiger Mom" who stirred controversy on parenting, a Hong Kong businessman is promoting a "Wolf Dad" approach in his book "That's Why They Go to Peking University."
Xiao Baiyou tells in the book how his "sticks make a great man" philosophy led to three of his children gaining places at the prestigious university in Beijing.
Xiao claims that he spends 90 percent of his time and energy on parenting. He rules with absolute authority at home, controlling nearly every aspect of his children's lives - from the cartoons they watch, the snacks they eat, and how they spend their pocket money to what they do in their spare time.
"As kids, they have no judgment about what's right and wrong, so I teach them," he says in the book that has become a bestseller in China since it was published on June 1.
Even when he is away on business, his children have to call him for permission if, for example, they want to drink a soda. Anyone caught violating the rules could expect physical punishment, he writes.
When his children were in pre-school, they spent days reciting Chinese classics ranging from poetry to philosophy. If they failed to meet his standards, they would be beaten with a feather duster. And they could only go to bed after finishing all their homework.
Previously, Amy Chua, a Chinese American, attracted worldwide controversy when her book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," was published. It told of her strict upbringing and how she tried to raise her own daughters the same way.
Xiao's book, too, has caused controversy.
"In a society where parents mostly praise children, a wolf dad who claims that frequent criticism and physical punishments make his children successful surely catches people's eyes. I think he is trying to please the public with this claptrap," said Sun Jin, a professor at Beijing Normal University.
In China, where a formal education is still widely considered the only path toward a good future, the success of parenting books reflects many parents' desires for guidance on their parental duties, Sun said.
Parents' anxieties over how to educate their children have created a market for so-called "tiger moms" and "wolf dads" to sell their parenting experience.
Some parents agree and enthusiastically endorse the wolf way.
Wang Fan, the father of a middle school student, said it's necessary for parents to be strict with their children and that he fully understands why Xiao administered physical punishment to his children.
"Parenting with sticks is Chinese tradition. Few people of our generation grew up without beatings and scoldings," said Wang, who works in finance.
Professor Sun said China's traditional culture of filial piety, which requires children to obey their parents unconditionally, can also explain the success of the tiger and wolf parenting philosophies.
"Parents who find themselves incapable of getting their children to obey can easily be persuaded to administer physical punishment," Sun said.
Li Xinghua, a student at Luxun Middle School in Beijing, said he would never want a wolf dad. "I would rather go to a second-rate college in exchange for tolerant parents. There is no universal standard for success. Steve Jobs dropped out of college, but he changed the world," Li said.
Xiao Baiyou tells in the book how his "sticks make a great man" philosophy led to three of his children gaining places at the prestigious university in Beijing.
Xiao claims that he spends 90 percent of his time and energy on parenting. He rules with absolute authority at home, controlling nearly every aspect of his children's lives - from the cartoons they watch, the snacks they eat, and how they spend their pocket money to what they do in their spare time.
"As kids, they have no judgment about what's right and wrong, so I teach them," he says in the book that has become a bestseller in China since it was published on June 1.
Even when he is away on business, his children have to call him for permission if, for example, they want to drink a soda. Anyone caught violating the rules could expect physical punishment, he writes.
When his children were in pre-school, they spent days reciting Chinese classics ranging from poetry to philosophy. If they failed to meet his standards, they would be beaten with a feather duster. And they could only go to bed after finishing all their homework.
Previously, Amy Chua, a Chinese American, attracted worldwide controversy when her book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," was published. It told of her strict upbringing and how she tried to raise her own daughters the same way.
Xiao's book, too, has caused controversy.
"In a society where parents mostly praise children, a wolf dad who claims that frequent criticism and physical punishments make his children successful surely catches people's eyes. I think he is trying to please the public with this claptrap," said Sun Jin, a professor at Beijing Normal University.
In China, where a formal education is still widely considered the only path toward a good future, the success of parenting books reflects many parents' desires for guidance on their parental duties, Sun said.
Parents' anxieties over how to educate their children have created a market for so-called "tiger moms" and "wolf dads" to sell their parenting experience.
Some parents agree and enthusiastically endorse the wolf way.
Wang Fan, the father of a middle school student, said it's necessary for parents to be strict with their children and that he fully understands why Xiao administered physical punishment to his children.
"Parenting with sticks is Chinese tradition. Few people of our generation grew up without beatings and scoldings," said Wang, who works in finance.
Professor Sun said China's traditional culture of filial piety, which requires children to obey their parents unconditionally, can also explain the success of the tiger and wolf parenting philosophies.
"Parents who find themselves incapable of getting their children to obey can easily be persuaded to administer physical punishment," Sun said.
Li Xinghua, a student at Luxun Middle School in Beijing, said he would never want a wolf dad. "I would rather go to a second-rate college in exchange for tolerant parents. There is no universal standard for success. Steve Jobs dropped out of college, but he changed the world," Li said.
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