Eileen Gu says she sees herself and her mom as ‘cofounders’
Olympic skier Eileen Gu discusses her upbringing, crediting her mother for fostering independence rather than acting as a 'tiger mom.' Gu describes their current relationship as a 'cofounder' partnership where they collaborate on all aspects of life.
Why it matters
It challenges cultural stereotypes regarding parenting styles and highlights the evolving nature of parent-child professional partnerships.
Eileen Gu says her mom set her up for success by letting her choose her own path. Noam Galai/Getty Images For Apex For Youth Olympic skier Eileen Gu said people often mistake her mom for a “tiger mom.” But the opposite is true: Her mom fiercely protected her freedom to make her own decisions. Today, Gu said, she and her mom are more like "cofounders" in everyday life. Eileen Gu credits her mom with giving her the freedom to find her own path. Speaking at the Karim Family Foundation's Inspiring Women Leadership Series in Singapore on Monday, Gu spoke about her upbringing and how her mom set her up for success from a young age. "I think she really optimized for play, and she optimized for optionality. She put me into everything," Gu said, adding that she tried ballet, piano, archery, basketball, soccer, and cross-country skiing.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in