Elephant mothers vs. Tiger mothers

Is it better to be a Tiger mother or an Elephant mother?  That is, a parent who believes family life is preparation for the adult world and so should be a school of hard knocks, harsh consequences, and tough love.   Or a parent who believes family life should be a haven from the outside world, a place of comfort and emotional security?

After the jump, read an excerpt from an essay on the subject and see a video of an elephant’s parenting style.

From Priyanka Sharma-Sindhar, Being an ‘Elephant Mom’ in the Time of the Tiger Mother – The Atlantic:

If you’re wondering what ‘elephant parent’ means, it’s the kind of parent who does the exact opposite of what the tiger mom, the ultra-strict disciplinarian, does. Here’s a short video clip [see below] that shows how real elephants parent. And that’s what I’m writing about here—parents who believe that they need to nurture, protect, and encourage their children, especially when they’re still impressionable and very, very young.

My elephant mom was a doctor with infinite patience. I failed a Hindi test when I was in fifth or sixth grade, and I remember going to her, teary-eyed, with my results—and hearing her tell me that it didn’t matter. There were many more tests ahead. As I sobbed in her lap, she stroked my hair, hugged me, and told me there would be another test, and I could pass that one. (I did get the annual proficiency prize for Hindi a year later at the same school.) . . .

[Keep reading. . .]