Battle Hymn of a Semi-Wannabe Tiger Mother

Lately, I have gotten into audio books. I have NEVER been a reader. I'll flip through a magazine, but I rarely grab a book. Books are one of the rare categories in my life that I don't care if I finish them or not. This includes food, movies, songs, and shows. Alex is the opposite; he has to finish everything. I don't understand it, but I do appreciate his drive for commitment with life.

The first audio book, that I picked up was "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua. I will admit that I LOVED IT! It was a six hour audio book that took me less than a week to complete. I could not turn this off! It was amazing, and it taught me a lot about balancing the different stages of motherhood.

I don't want to say that I won't be a "helicopter mom". I really have no idea what type of mother I am yet. I do want to learn as much as possible, and I have started educating myself on how to push Nick to do his personal best. Did I cheer on Chua as she read through her book- oh ya, but I also reflected on how I can learn from her "mistakes".

After listening to the book, I contemplated my competitive positions for myself and Nicholas. Like most mothers, I want the ultimate best for Nick, and I will do anything to make sure he gets there. I want to spend every second with Nicholas as he grows and learns, while also preparing him to jump the nest when the time arrives.

One of the most important things I can do for Nick is make the "best" decisions for him. The nutrients that I provide for Nick are crucial for his life. I want his brain and body to be top notch, and Alex and I are responsible for getting him there.

I have a feeling that I may struggle with pushing Nicholas, as well as, myself. I don't want to break Nick down; I do want him to trust that I believe in him and know he is capable of amazing things. I am nervous and excited to see how I can get him there...time will tell.

It is also important to be an example for Nicholas. Nick already follows by Alex's and my examples. I have to pretend to eat certain foods, so Nick will be fooled to eat whatever I am offering him. Personally, I have made a huge effort to show Nick that I am willing to give 100%- cooking (food choices), cleaning, fitness, and in life in general. This has actually surprised me in regards to what I can do! I had no idea that I could some of the activities that I have done lately-- For example, I walked the entire zoo with Nick in the backpack. My goal was to walk half of the zoo with Nick on my back (around 30ish pounds-- Nick + backpack supplies = 25% my body weight!), but I got to the halfway mark and wanted to keep going! At over 3.5 miles, I felt accomplished and ready to take on more!

Anyway, has anyone else read/listened to this book?? What are your thoughts on "Tiger Moms"?

I tried Jenny McCartney's "Stirring the Pot" audio book- fail. Currently, I am reading Cameron Diaz's "The Body Book". I am hoping to learn more about my nutritional and physical choices. Happy reading and/or listening, fitness friends!