In today’s competitive world, some tiger moms are going to great lengths to ensure their children’s success. Even for kids as young as four years old, these dedicated moms are meticulously curating items to create the perfect study space. While I can’t call myself a full-fledged tiger mom, I do encourage my daughter to learn things outside of school and provide her with every tool she needs. But at the same time, I’m trying really hard to not snuff out the simple joys of her childhood with books and study sessions. There’s plenty of time for that later on in life…
In my 4-year-old’s class, the latest discussion amongst the moms is how they’re setting up the study areas for the kids. Did I mention that they’re 4 years old and still in kindergarten?
I didn’t have homework in kindergarten, and when I finally got it in elementary school, my “study area” was my dad’s desk or the kitchen table. I didn’t have an area dedicated just to studying with tools that were designed to maximize my efficiency. When I finally got a designated studying desk (which we called computer desks back in my day because this was back during the time of desktop computers), it was a simple IKEA desk that I spent an afternoon building and painting myself. But the tiger moms in my kid’s class are all about sharing what they’ve created, and let me tell you, some of these are impressive!
Note: We’re not promoting any of these items being sold. They’re just used to give you an example of what a typical product in this category looks like.
There are no cute motivational posters, favorite toys, or kids’ artwork on display here. Oh no, it’s all about a clean minimalistic setup with ergonomic chairs and gigantic lights that flex about how they create no shadows on papers when kids write. Now I know it sounds like I’m mocking setting up a super functional study area for kids, but I’m not. In fact, I think these gadgets are all super cool and have already put them in my online shopping cart to be purchased at a later date when, you know, they start having actual homework from school.
These desks are now equipped with tops that lift up, book/iPad holders so they can read/watch without bending their necks, ergonomic chairs that will lock them in place so they can’t leave (this part’s actually included in the ad for this study set up), a stopper thing that prevents them from bending too far down on their desk, a pull-out chair that also doubles as a bookshelf for the tiger mom to comfortably sit while supervising their cub’s studies, and a shelf to put your CCTV camera that’ll give you the perfect angle to see what your kid is doing while you’re not physically next to them. Seriously, they’ve thought of everything!
Then there’s the matter of what lights to get. If you thought a desk lamp or one already on the ceiling of your home would suffice, you’re sadly wrong in the eyes of the tigers. You need a professional study light that doesn’t hurt your child’s eyes and won’t make them sleepy.
And as you can see, these things are gigantic! But they do deliver on their promise and will light up a study area like the midday sun.
Then there are the smaller gadgets like the book ends, timers, and countless organizers that will start popping up on your Taobao feed once you start searching for a few kids’ study area items.
Tiger moms believe that by providing such an environment, they are giving their children a head start in life. They understand the importance of early education like no one else and are determined to do everything in their power to set their kids on the path to academic excellence. While some may question the intensity of this approach, there’s no denying the love and dedication behind these efforts to build the perfect study space for the youngest learners.
So what are your thoughts on the study area setup? Is it too over the top or just right?
Images: Taobao
