| "I have heard in the past that the young population of Japan have a fairly high suicide rate due to the immense familial pressure placed on them to succeed. Is this true of other asian families? My mom always encouraged me and made me practice my academic skills, but never placed so much pressure as to crack me. Anyone else have a viewpoint?"
I think the notion that parents put too much pressure on the child is incorrect. Most pressures are from the children themselves, who would feel guilty for letting down the family if expectations are not met. Parents give out expectations, and the children feel like it is their duty to fulfill them.
Many immigrant parents save up all they can for the children's education. Some even abandoned their white-collar jobs from overseas to become a house parent / blue collar worker so their children can go to college in the U.S. Of course, the parents do not hesitate a moment to let the children know about all the sacrifice they've made and there is no alternative for the children but to meet the expectations. There is absolutely no need from the parent to pressure the children into studying (if the child is properly taught about the sacrifices their parent have made); the children would work 110%... otherwise their parents would've lost their former well paid, well respected careers for nothing.
Of course, expectations sometimes fall short. If it comes down to the worse and the child cannot fulfill their parent's dreams and make the parents' sacrifices worthwhile, they cannot go home and tell their parent that they've failed "the mission." If the parents' sacrifice didn't come to fruit and the children failed their parents on their academic mission, they need to live up to their own part of the bargin, and death is the only thing that can match what their parents already sacrificed.
It is all about breaking even and let the parents know their sacrifices are not taken for granted. At least that is the way I understand it / used to feel. |