While I Was Ripening in the Pot

Describing the struggles of children growing up in Asian households:
We often talk about the dangers of "pulling up seedlings to help them grow" — but for many of these children, there was never a choice to begin with. From the moment they’re born, they’re tossed into a blazing wok of expectations, stir-fried over high heat by their parents’ ambitions. The little girl is no longer seen as an individual, but as a dish of "growth" meant to be served up — fast, ready, and mature before her time.