“Tiger mother” became a buzzword last year for tough love and parenting in the United States, but in recent months across the Pacific a Chinese “Eagle Dad” has sparked a new furore with his own brand of discipline.
Recently he has encountered similar criticism in the media and on China’s weibo microblogs for forcing his son to sail a dinghy single-handed. Some said his parenting style risked leaving lasting scars.
Last year, the book by Chinese American Amy Chua similarly prompted furious debate about ultra-strict parenting. Chua has said she meant much of the book to be parody.
But He, who comes from Nanjing and has been branded “Eagle Dad” by mainland media, has said his extreme parenting is serious and meant to prepare his son for the future.
“The big eagle pushes the young eagle off the cliff. As it falls, the little eagle has no choice but to spread its wings, and learns how to fly,” He explained, quoting a Chinese proverb.
