Wolf parenting' harms children

A 6-year-old girl who lived with her grandparents died at the end of the two months that she spent with her parents in Leqing, Zhejiang province, after her "wolf father" subjected her to six hours of physical punishment. Her father must have been devastated by her death and the inhuman treatment he meted out to her. But the question is, have fathers across the country drawn a lesson from the tragedy? Asks an article on eastday.com. Excerpts:

Many fathers do not seem to realize the harm "wolf education" causes to their children. The Leqing tragedy is an extreme example of what "wolf education" can do to children.

The number of parents who think extreme physical punishment is the only way to shape their children to meet the demands of modern-day education is on the rise. After some educators recommended that corporeal punishment be banned, many children have become averse to criticism. This has had the opposite effect on some parents, who have resorted to physical punishment to "beat their children into shape".

But "wolf-style" parenting and education does not fit into modern society. Parents resort to "wolf education" for two reasons. One, some parents neglect their children because of their own preoccupations and use physical punishment to prepare them to meet the demands of modern-day education. Two, others treat their wards as private property, failing to respect their individuality - or even use them as a tool to realize their own dreams.

Wolf-style parenting is an anachronism in today's society. What parents need to do is to create an atmosphere of love and understanding to bring out the best in their children.

(China Daily 10/16/2012 page9)