So recently I heard about this new book that’s been making headlines. The title is Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and it’s one of the worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) cases of extreme parenting I’ve ever come across. The book, written by Yale law professor Amy Chua, explains why she thinks that Chinese parents are “better” than those of us here in America. Don’t even get me started!

To raise “perfect” kids, Ms. Chua never allowed her two young daughters to have sleepovers or playdates. They could never do anything like be in a school play, watch TV, or  God forbid, choose their own extracurricular activities (piano or violin was mandatory). She would never pay them a compliment in public. And all hell would break loose if either of the two young girls ever received anything but straight As.

When one daughter, only 7 years old at the time, complained of having to practice the piano for hours on end, Ms. Chua called her “pathetic.” She once told her other daughter that if she didn’t play a particular piano piece perfectly she’d burn all of her stuffed animals. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

I truly believe Ms. Chua and anyone who buys her philosophy has gone off the deep end. It seems that she believes the only way her daughters can achieve success is by having a childhood that’s void of fun, exploration, and understanding. Instead, it sounds like a childhood that’s stressful, monotonous, and frightening.

Sure, I’ve made idle threats to my kids when they’re not behaving….like “Samantha, if you don’t get in bed right now, then no dessert tomorrow.” But the difference is that I rarely follow through, and Samantha knows that even if I threatened to burn her stuffed animals I would never, in a million years, take her stuffed bear, Cuddles, her favorite dog, Snuggles, and their furry friends and throw them into a miniature bonfire in the playroom. I shudder to think what Ms. Chua would have done if her daughter had made even one mistake playing the piano when she made her not-so-idle threat. Talk about needing therapy!

What is with this extreme parenting? How can people honestly believe this is the right way? So many successful people were raised by parents who gave them discipline but praise, structure but freedom to grow on their own, confidence but understanding that it’s ok not to always be number one.

And what I really don’t understand is the purpose of such oppression. Do some parents really believe that such rigid parenting is the only road to success? I, for one, can name countless CEOs, doctors, lawyers, media moguls, bestselling authors, software engineers, and even world-changers who prove that that’s not the case.

Personally, I have faith that my children will grow up to be smart, well-rounded, successful adults. And they’ll actually have happy memories of their childhood, too. Go figure!