Because trouble comes in all sizes.
Elaine Heffner, LCSW, Ed.D 
Some months ago, the N.Y. Times had a story focused on Tina Fey as reflecting a cultural mood making pregnancy a fertile field for romantic comedy. According to the story, an inviolate rule of Hollywood comedy is that once a woman in her 30’s gets her man, or can’t find him, then she has to want a baby – or cope with a baby she didn’t plan on. From “Murphy Brown” to “Knocked Up” to Ms. Fey’s latest, “Admission”, the path from romance to “momance” is clear.
At a recent workshop for parents, the topic of discussion was the Chinese tiger mother’s methods which everyone has been so excited about lately. I raised a question about the use of strict authority with children as compared to the American belief in freedom. One of the fathers spoke up first and immediately transferred the question to the workplace. He said he saw it as using the carrot and the stick and explained further that it would be impossible to use only the authority of the stick in today’s work world. To be successful you would also need the carrot.