Ambitious parents

When Alexander the Great ascended the throne following the assassination of his father, Philip II, in 336 B.C., his mother Olympias, his fervent promoter, arranged to have his potential rivals killed. Some evidence suggests Olympias, one of several wives to Philip, arranged for Philip's murder when he began turning against his son. Alexander went on to conquer most of the known world, and is credited with spreading Greek civilization.


Leopold Mozart insisted that his children become musical virtuosi at a very early age. Leopold was the first teacher for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and Maria Anna, called Nanneri, and eventually gave up his own musical career to showcase their talent in European tours.


Though Edward Barrett Moulton encouraged the education of his daughter Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861),he "did his best to limit her private life." He forbade the renowned poet and her siblings from marrying, for unclear reasons, and never spoke with Elizabeth again after she eloped with Robert Browning, at the age of 40.


Mama Rose gained notoriety as the ultimate stage mother in the Broadway musical "Gypsy," based on the 1957 memoir of her daughter, Gypsy Rose Lee. In the play, Mama Rose pushes her daughters into the spotlight. After her daughter June runs away, Mama Rose transforms the mousy teenaged Louise (Gypsy Rose Lee) into a feted stripper.


Earl Woods started teaching his son Tiger (b. 1975), to play golf when he was 2 years old. Mr. Woods used to try to break his son's concentration by dripping a bag of clubs during his swing. By the time Tiger was a teenager, he'd been touring all over the country under his father's strict guidance. Mr. Woods has won 14 major tournaments and is expected to be the first athlete to earn more than $1billion in prize money and endorsements.

source Wall Street Journal October 4-5, 2008