‘Eagle Dad’ Generates Anger & Controversy

By Maryann Yin 

Chinese entrepreneur He Liesheng sparked anger and controversy after posting a YouTube video of his then three-year-old son He Tide exercising in the snowy streets of New York City in his underwear.

In a Daily Mail interview, the father explained his brutal exercise regimen was part of his “Eagle Dad” parenting philosophy–“When the baby eagle is large enough, the mother takes it to the edge of a cliff and pushes it off.” He aspires to publish an “Eagle Dad” book, an idea reminiscent of Amy Chua‘s 2011 memoir Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.

Here’s more from the interview: “Mr He, 44, said that he believed his approach should help his son win an early place in a leading university … His hours after school and at weekends, meanwhile, are filled with an exhaustive timetable of hill climbing, swimming, skiing, skating, chess and martial arts classes aimed at making him clever, strong and fearless.” (Link via The Gothamist, image via Lip Kee)