Extreme Parenting?

During a departmental lunch yesterday, a few collegues were discussing about the controversial "Chinese Parenting" book written by Amy Chua, a Law Professor at Yale, Battle Hymm of the Tiger Mother.

No TV and videogames, No Playdates, Insist on physical labour, MUST only get As in school....Is this the 'right' way to raise smart and successful kids?

Its surprising to hear (from some of my colleagues) that one might be partially "forced" into this parenting style in order to keep up with the Singaporean Education System.

One colleague told me this story:
Daughter came back from primary school, with her first report card, she scored 75-80% (on average) for her subjects, so parents were really happy.
Daughter was sad.
Why? 'Everyone else' in class did much better than her!
Daughter pleaded to go for extra tuition and music classes as 'everyone else in class' goes for tuition and enrichment classes.

My childhood memories were often filled with lots of fun things;
Lots of care-free days chatting and baking with mum in the kitchen.......
Running around the garden, plucking grass, wild flowers and leaves for 'masak-masak' session with the siblings while dad mows the lawn.......
The whole brood cycling to the beach to see the sunset........
Going for swim-dates with my friends and family, fooling around the pool and beach (I miss the beach club)....
And what I love best, putting on my Brownie uniform and using Brasso to polish all my badges for Brownie sessions every saturday....

Will Miss K be able to enjoy a rich and fun-filled childhood, like what I had?

I really identify with Corsage's blog entry I'm a Chinese Mother Too.
I pray that God will lead me each day, so I will have the wisdom and knowledge to bring Miss K up well, to be a Godly child and Blessed in all aspects of life.