I have been waiting for the roar to die down over the “tiger mom” or “extreme parenting” discussion as of late.  If you are not up on the controversy,  you can learn more at

Tiger Mom Parenting Style on Time Website 

Tiger Mom Parenting Style on MSNBC Website

Cognitra Goals

At Cognitra, our mission is to help children learn about important topics that are typically not covered in an academic environment, such as Conflict Management, Money Management, Project Management, and Relationship Management. 

Cognitra has three main goals for this type of self-improvement and self-enrichment social learning:

So kids…

• Don’t have to always learn the hard way about life like we did
• Can better compete in a global world for good jobs when they grow up
• Can be happy and successful – in life, at school, and eventually at work

High Expectations

I think it is good to have high expectations for our kids. One of our most important roles as a parent is to help our children be the best that they can be. Sometimes we forget about this critical parental role when we are so busy in our daily lives and long to relax when we have a moment to spare. Ultimately, we should try to raise a child who is successful, from a personal and professional perspective, and someone who will make positive contributions to society if possible.

Play and Have Some Fun

On the other hand, kids need to have a chance to be….well….kids. Children should be allowed to play and have some fun – even downtime to recharge and reengerize just like adults. Perhaps even be bored for a change! Like most parents, I want my children to have  happy memories of their childhood. It can’t be all work and no play. Seriously, who would choose that kind of dreary life willingly?

Different Parenting Needs

And kids from the same family can be so different. What parenting style worked well for one sibling may not work so well for the others. And some kids have developmental delays so parenting styles must be flexible to address these special needs. In addition, if there is too much stress on a child or if the pressure to be perfect is taken to heart, some kids will become severely depressed – even to the point of suicide. This is a serious risk that all parents should strongly consider when deciding on a parenting style.

Everything in Moderation

Which brings me to my final point. Remember what we have learned numerous times over the course of our lives – everything in moderation. This includes a good balance to parenting. We want to have high expectations for good behavior and academic performance for our kids but not to the point that we eliminate all opportunities for them to play and have fun.  We should strive to raise successful children who are also very happy and well-adjusted. After all, isn’t that what parenting is all about?

What do you think?