Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
Father: Son, what are you doing? Are you writing poems again? You know I want you to get involved in some useful activities, like math camps, music, painting etc.
Son: Dad, I don’t like those things.
Father: We are not talking about your preferences. We are talking about usefulness to college application. You are 15 years old now and you know the acceptance rate for college this year? 3% for Harvard and all the top colleges. There’s no figure for Asian acceptance rate, but I bet it is 0.3%. It looks like it’s going to drop to zero soon.
Son: Wonderful.
Father: Wonderful? What do you mean?
Son: We don’t need to fuss over something with zero percent…
Father: Listen, Son, we strive, we persist, we dream despite the difficulties, OK? That’s who we are. And that’s what your mother wants me to talk with you about.
Son: Why didn’t Mom tell me herself?
Father: She wants to be a sweet mom and she wants me to deliver the unpleasant reality.
Son: You said you were traumatized because your parents pushed you very hard to pursue business, but you didn’t want to. You wanted to be a mathematician.
Father: Did I say that? Oh, I remember. Last week I said it, didn’t I? I was arguing with your mom. I said I was traumatized by your grandparents to your mom because I was trying to gain your mom’s sympathy. One needs to gain an edge in an argument. Son, sometimes you need such skills. Also I wanted to show her how well I turn out despite all the trauma. That’s a great way to boost one’s image. You know what I mean?
Son: I don’t know what you mean. Were you traumatized or not?
Father: Oh, Son, life is not black and white. I need a drink. Here your mom comes.
Mother: How are you two doing? Want to try some bubble tea I just made?
Haoyan Do 
Unfortunately, a lot of immigrant parents tend to really push their kids towards education because they want them to do well in life but a lot of times their kids end up with lives they don’t want.
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That’s so true and it is being played over and over again in immigrant families and in certain other families as well. I know many people like that.
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Yeah I do too and it’s very sad to see because their kids are obviously unhappy.
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Yes, I know families like that. 😢
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Oh dear. Gives me flashbacks.
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Yes, many of us grew up under authoritarian parents. LOL.
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Typical Asian family. Been there and done that, lol.
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Yes, and the cycle continues.
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A good conversation so common in households.
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LOL. Yes, it happens in many families before the summer starts.
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Thank God for Bubble tea! Solves many knotty problems!🥰
Wish parents would encourage children to pursue what their heart desires and not impose their preferences. But that would be in a perfect world…
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Usually children with aspiration in science, engineer, or business have no problem with their parents, but if you love poetry, parents are not so supportive.
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Yes poet author artist etc aspirations are looked askance at 🤔
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That is so true. Artistic people are being frowned at all over the places.
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Hmmm…I feel sorry for the boy.
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Yes, poor boy. His taste in poetry is not to his parents’ liking.
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Whether I was right or wrong in doing so I never tried to make my children go into fields they didn’t want to. I would rather have them be people of integrity and do whatever job they have with all their might. I’m proud of my kids and probably biased.
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