Tiger Parents: Success is Love.

In many Asian households, it’s the mother that’s the overbearing parent focused on their children’s success. For me, it’s my father who lived his life through me.

My parents are Vietnamese refugees who reestablished their lives in America. Looking for a brighter future, my dad lived his life through me.

Photo by Albert Vincent Wu on Unsplash

I didn’t want to be my high school’s valedictorian

My dad was someone who liked to emphasize how important it was to be my high school’s valedictorian. Of course, everyone likes winning but my father was overly passionate about me being above my high school peers. Also, who wouldn’t want to be valedictorian of their high school? It’s such a great accomplishment for anyone.

I didn’t.

I wanted my peers to recognize me as someone who was hard working and focused on a brighter future for myself. For my dad it was a title to brag about to other people, making me feel insignificant as an individual. I didn’t want to be my high school’s valedictorian because it wouldn’t keep my dad humble, and it was letting him live his life through me in America. I wished he was someone who was happy with me regardless of class standing.

I still ranked first but to this day, it doesn’t mean as much as most people would think. It’s just a title and the…