Mother in China triggers tough parenting debate after making son, 8, collect rubbish to repay US$3 he stole from grandmother
- A Chinese mother who caught her son stealing beat him and then sent him to collect recyclable waste to earn money so he could repay what he stole
- Her actions have renewed online discussion on the mainland about tough parenting, a perennial subject of conversation among Chinese parents
An eight-year-old boy in China who was forced by his mother to collect recyclable rubbish to earn enough to repay 20 yuan (US$3) he stole from his grandmother has renewed debate about tough love parenting.
A news report on the unnamed boy from Xiamen in Fujian province, southeastern China, getting caught stealing went viral on Tuesday and triggered heated online discussion about parenting and discipline.
After the boy’s grandmother discovered the money was missing, he admitted he had stolen it from her wallet when she was not paying attention.
When his mother, surnamed Meng, was informed of the theft she gave him a severe beating which left his buttocks bruised.
“It’s not the first time he has stolen, this time I also gave him a hard lesson,” Meng told Sichuan Radio And Television during an interview.
She said that she couldn’t tolerate stealing, and wanted her son to know that earning money is never easy.
