Education reform can soften 'tiger moms'

Since Amy Chua took the world of Chinese parents by storm with her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, in 2011 it seems more Chinese mothers have turned into "Tiger moms".

Several young Chinese mothers are my friends. But rarely any of them is free for lunch or other activity, because they appear to have become their children's "slaves".

One of these young mothers moved from Hebei province to Beijing just to get her daughter admitted to a private and very expensive kindergarten. She closed her flourishing business and her husband shifted his office to Beijing, where they have bought a house. Another young mother is divorced and always busy with her daughter's calligraphy, dance, piano or English class. And a couple, both professionals in high positions, left their jobs, sold their Beijing house and moved to Australia when their son started going to school.