Many people use this when they refer to children, that so and so is a chip of the old block. I sometimes wonder whether it is with regard to looks,behavior or total personality...
I also wonder t whether the children are happy with such comparison ? some may be happy if the father is a big shot, but what about those parents who have not made it big and the children have been successful ? please add you views...will add mine as well...

Many people use this when they refer to children, that so and so is a chip of the old block. I sometimes wonder whether it is with regard to looks,behavior or total personality...
I also wonder t whether the children are happy with such comparison ? some may be happy if the father is a big shot, but what about those parents who have not made it big and the children have been successful ? please add you views...will add mine as well...

The phrase "Chip of the old block. " is used when there are visible and inner qualities of another person are identical with the concerned person in the question. It is a combo of looks,behavior and total personality. It may be both positive and negative traits. Not necessarily always good and positive qualities.
I have seen people using the equivalent local phrases like, "Ek Hi Than Ka Tukda.", this phrase is used in both good and bad contexts,
When it is used in bad context like in Telugu we say referring a pickpocket whose father is also a pick pocket as ,"Aa Tandri Biddade" ( Son of that father). In such cases , younger generation will not take it cheerfully.
As you said a successful son of a renowned dad may take it as a complement

Many people use this when they refer to children, that so and so is a chip of the old block. I sometimes wonder whether it is with regard to looks,behavior or total personality...
I also wonder t whether the children are happy with such comparison ? some may be happy if the father is a big shot, but what about those parents who have not made it big and the children have been successful ? please add you views...will add mine as well...

The phrase "Chip of the old block. " is used when there are visible and inner qualities of another person are identical with the concerned person in the question. It is a combo of looks,behavior and total personality. It may be both positive and negative traits. Not necessarily always good and positive qualities.
I have seen people using the equivalent local phrases like, "Ek Hi Than Ka Tukda.", this phrase is used in both good and bad contexts,
When it is used in bad context like in Telugu we say referring a pickpocket whose father is also a pick pocket as ,"Aa Tandri Biddade" ( Son of that father). In such cases , younger generation will not take it cheerfully.
As you said a successful son of a renowned dad may take it as a complement

I have always felt that when people say - you should become a successful doctor like your doctor or whatever, we not limiting the child , rather than give him or her a free hand to do what interests them...

This relates to total personality. Not only children but even elders are covered by this phrase. Son is like father and father would be like grandfather. If there is something derogatory, it is greater insult to parents rather than children.