Exclusive Interview with Maya Thiagarajan, author of Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age and Book Review

Exclusive Interview and Book Giveaway : Exclusive Interview with Maya Thiagarajan, author of Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age and Book Review

Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age is a new book by Maya Thiagarajan that explores how to blend the best of Western and Asian approaches to parenting and education.

In Beyond the Tiger Mom, Thiagarajan examines the stereotypes and goes beneath the surface to explore what really happens in Asian households. How do Asian parents think about childhood, family and education—and what can Western parents learn from them?

Each chapter ends with a “How To” section with specific tips for parents to aid their child’s educational development both inside and outside the classroom.

Our Parenting World is honoured to be able to interview Maya Thiagarajan (MT) where she shared more about her book and her parenting journey. 

1. What made you decide to write a book on East-West Parenting, how long did you take to write the book and where do you get your inspiration from?

MT: After teaching in the US for over a decade, I moved to Singapore in 2010.

I encountered a ton of parents both in a professional context (as a teacher) and in a personal context (since I have two young children myself), and I was intrigued by the different approaches to parenting and education that I witnessed. I wanted to explore these differences further, so I began to formally interview parents and engage in substantial research on education. All of this eventually led to my writing “Beyond The Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age.”

Having lived and taught in both the East and West, I know first hand that both cultures have tremendous strengths. It was very important to me that my book didn’t set one culture up against another – all cultures have deep strengths, rich traditions, and lots to offer. I wanted to write a book about how to blend the best of different cultural approaches to educating and raising kids.

My book really looks at how parents on both sides of the globe can learn from each other. I try to answer the following question: How can we draw from both East and West to raise successful global kids?

2. Can you share with us, what kind of parenting approaches do you use on your children? Are you a strict or a more permissive parent?

MT: I think that effective parenting is really a balancing act. In my book, I use the analogy of a seesaw – as parents we’re always seeking that perfect, but elusive, balance between opposing forces.
 
All kids – whether toddlers or teens – need opposing forms of pressure and support.

For example, our kids need structure and predictability, yet they also need a considerable amount of freedom. Without structure, there’s chaos and kids tend to flounder, yet without freedom, there’s a stifling of creativity and imagination.
 
Similarly, they need high expectations and some pressure or stress so that they really push themselves, but they also need a safe and nurturing environment where they feel comfortable taking risks and failing.
 
They need guidance because they are too young and inexperienced to make good choices on their own, but at the same time, they also need to be given choices and left to themselves so that they think creatively and learn to make their own decisions.
 
They need teachers and parents who are simultaneously firm and nurturing, who are at once both “hands-on” and “hands-off.”
 
As a parent, I feel like I’m always trying to find that perfect middle ground, where I am strict enough to ensure that my kids have the structure and guidance they need but also permissive enough that they have the freedom and support they need. It’s always a balancing act!

3. What are some of the key takeaways that you would like readers to retain after reading your book?

MT: I hope that my book will stimulate parents to think more deeply about what they want for their children in the long term. I hope that my book will help parents think more about long term goals like nurturing a love of learning, a growth mindset, the reading habit, and a strong sense of self.

At the end of each chapter, I include numerous research-backed suggestions about how to help children succeed academically. I hope that parents will find these practical and helpful. As an educator myself, I have a keen interest in how children learn and what the research says about best practice — I think that many parents will appreciate this.

4. Can you share with us, what’s your next plan and will you be working on a new book?

MT: Still a surprise! I have a number of ideas for books – all related to aspects of education and learning – but I haven’t yet had the time to begin researching and writing my next book. I will keep you posted!

5. Lastly, do you have anything to add on about your book and any parenting advice that you would like to share with readers?

MT: One thing I think is important for contemporary parents is having a strong sense of what they value. Educators are often required to write their own personal education philosophy and mission statement. I think that parents too need to create a personal parenting philosophy to help them know what they value and what they really want for their kids. If we have a guiding vision of what we want to give our kids, we won’t feel as anxious and we won’t be pulled in as many different directions by peer pressure and the media. Then it’s easier to do what feels right and strike the right balance.

For more specific suggestions, I hope that readers will read Beyond The Tiger Mom – it’s full of research on how to blend the best of East and West to raise happy and successful kids who can navigate a globalized world!

Thank you for taking our interview! 

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Book Review:

Iris, our editor is delighted to share her thoughts on Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age after reading the book: 

“Maya Thiagarajan, author of Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age is a book that I am looking forward to read. As a busy working mother of two school going kids, I certainly need to learn and understand more on the different approaches in parenting and education that would help my children excel in their lives.

This interesting and educating book opens up my understanding on the differences between the Western and Eastern parenting and educational approaches, the book explores on what’s the strengths and weakness and how we can learn from the East and West approaches.   

Maya Thiagarajan has done all the research coming from her background as an educator and mother who has lived and worked in both Asia and United States. She shared her knowledge and provided research backed suggestions that will benefit parents in their parenting approaches. This book is a useful guide book, it is easy to read, offers practical advice and tips at the end of each chapter to help parents grow and nurture their kid/kids in their development both inside and outside of school and to prepare them to thrive in the new world. 

With this book, I feel that I can be a more effective parent once I know the best of the East and West approaches and to avoid the pitfalls of these approaches after reading and applying from the ideas and knowledge from the book. 

I strongly recommend this book to parents, educators and anyone who is interested to help kids become a better learner and to succeed in life!”

To find out more about Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age, please go to http://bookpublicityservices.com/beyond-tiger-mom-maya-thiagarajan/

Good News!

You have read about our Interview with Maya Thiagarajan, author of Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age and book review. We have one book to giveaway on Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age to ONE lucky winner! 

To join the giveaway, please click HERE to go to our Facebook to win this book! 

Hurry, giveaway will close on 10 December 2016 at 23:59Hr. Winner will be announced through Website and Facebook. 

Thank you and Good Luck! 

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{Giveaway Closed and Winner Announcement!} – Update on 14 December 2016

Dear Valued Friends and Readers,

Thank you so much for your participation in the giveaway!

Drumroll … the very lucky winner has been randomly chosen to win a copy of Beyond the Tiger Mom: East-West Parenting for the Global Age book by Maya Thiagarajan and we are pleased to announce the lucky winner:

1) Michelle Ng

Congratulations! Please also refer to Our Parenting World Facebook announcement. We will be contacting you shortly on your prize collection.

Thank you to our kind sponsors for the fabulous prize to our readers and friends.

Thank you and enjoy the book!

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