Traditional Chinese families often had a strict father and a kind mother.
Tips
culture
孟郊's 《游子吟》 begins 慈母手中线，游子身上衣 'the thread in a loving mother's hand becomes the coat on her traveling son's back', one of the best-known poems about a mother's love.
usage
The traditional ideal split the roles as 严父慈母 'strict father, kind mother'. In everyday speech people say a mother is 慈爱 'loving' rather than call her 慈母.
