The state of NYC schools

You mean Bloomberg is going to close 12 public schools? Is the budget that high? Yet, they intend to open a charter school. Doesn't make much sense.

I think this is one of those topics one only can get passionate about if you have a kid. And then boy do people get passionate about it!

@Uraniumfish the recent Amy Chua- Tiger Mom debate has certainly illustrated that .

@uptowngirl What did you think about the Tiger Mom thing? I think modern parents are too soft on their kids a lot of the time...

@Uraniumfish; I guess you're right about it. Since I have no kids, schools are my least concern. However, I do feel bad for the kids who do want to learn but have bad environments to learn in.

@neversleeps: I tend to think so too. One of my best friends has a two year old and she has never been separated from her. Not once. Not ever. My friend's daughter completely runs the show and I find it so creepy.

@uptowngirl, as someone who knows the kids of many Tiger Moms (of all ethnicities), I think the pressure to succeed can at times be insane and soul-crushing, and I think that's a negative. But certainly my mother encouraged me to read/study more (I remember her forcing me to do 6 hours of supplemental reading on the Medieval era and Byzantine Empire in 6th grade on TOP of the course-prescribed reading because she thought my course wasn't detailed enough! I *hated* it at the time but somehow I'm applying to grad school to do Byzantine theology...) and always pushed me - but she was supportive and loving, not harsh or mean, and I turned out okay!

@NeverSleeps Amy Chua seems a bit extreme I think but ajadedidealist is right Tiger Moms exist in all communities. I am not a parent and now I don't think I will ever be but a balanced approach I guess is the best one. We live an increasingly competitive world and kids must be taught to deal with the pressure though not necessarily excel in every field as the Tiger Mom deems.

@everyone It sounds like the best way to go about it is somewhere between the two extremes - you want to push your kids to succeed, but you don't need to praise to high heavens every move they make. And you don't want to be a dictator, but you can't be too friggin' soft, either.

God, parenting has to be so hard. I will walk into traffic sometimes just because of two dogs.

@JenMac: Parenting is very hard work. It is a 24/7 job. Not easy, especially if you have more than one child.

@JenMac a friend of mine here in HK is currently grappling with two dogs and three kids and I call her the Earth mother as she is constantly running between schools,vets and what not though because she lives in Asia she can afford to employ two full time helpers to give her a hand with it all..