Photograph — Kidspot

Three days ago, a 7-year-old Japanese boy, Yamato Tanooka went missing on a mountain range in the northern part of Hokkaido after he was separated from his family on their trip to pick wild vegetables in the area. Initially, the boy’s parents reported to the police that they lost him on the trip somehow so as to legally enable a search, but later confessed to intentionally leaving him behind as punishment.

According to Yamato’s parents, he had been naughty on their family outing by throwing stones at passing cars and people. Thus, it was decided that he was going to be left behind in the woods to ruminate over his bad behaviour. It was not until driving away from Yamato for about half a mile that his parents thought to return for him in the mountain range notorious for inhabiting wild bears. But Yamato was not at the spot where he was last seen.

Rescuers and police officers have been looking for the missing Yamato since Saturday, widening their search today to go deeper into the woodlands. Yamato’s parents have come  under extensive criticism since their ludicrous style of parenting became public. Many called their action child abuse, while others labelled it “stupid”.

Extreme methods of parenting, notably as concerns child discipline, remains a problematic discussion amongst both parents and onlookers all over the globe. With different continents being infamous for a particular style of discipline which have become so distinct that they are made the butt of jokes.

As normal as certain contentious approaches to child discipline may be, their short and long term effects and consequences, as is currently visible in the case of missing 7-year-old Yamato, persistently call for a global redress of the culture.

Analysts on child behaviour and methods of improving it, without resorting to little or no punishment, are of the opinion that [good] parent behaviours are the most efficient models to follow in order to achieve the results that they wish to see in their kids.

The basic intention behind disciplining a child is that is forms and shapes said child to become a better individual. But a general consensus is that the most noticeable effects of child discipline which usually tether on child abuse and domestic violence is that the opposite could very well be the case. More so because of the manner in which the child accepted or translated the disciplinary actions being meted out by the parents.

And that is in instances when the child is even around after the incidence to understand the parents’ actions. A spokesman of the area in which Yamato was reported missing told the media that the boy’s welfare is of great concern, as he was alone without food or water, and save for residents who occasionally use the area as a shortcut, not much human activity happens there.

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