How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by watwut on Friday March 15, 2019 @05:08AM (#19397920)

So basically, boy acted like normal 4 years old and took an interesting thing into hand? And that is somehow proof that the kid is exceptionally difficult? Four years old holding knife right now is a reason to tell him to put it down or introduce consistent safety rules, but really really it is neither proof of unusual out of control behavior or something that requires instant yelling.

Four years old can be taught to cut soft vegetables under close supervision. However, if you constantly yell at four years old, four years old will learn to ignore everything except yelling.

Not that occasional yelling harms that kid or something. But, yelling often is more of adult emotional reaction, not a rational reaction to real acute danger.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by taneq on Friday March 15, 2019 @09:28AM (#19399477)

> So basically, boy acted like normal 4 years old and took an interesting thing into hand?

A 4-year-old is old enough to know what they are and aren't allowed to grab, in terms of common household items.

> However, if you constantly yell at four years old, four years old will learn to ignore everything except yelling.

If you consistently show a four-year-old that only yelling will be followed by physical intervention, then they will learn to ignore everything except yelling. If you consistently show a four-year-old that a quiet "I'm going to count to three... one... TWO..." will be followed by physical intervention, then they will learn to pay attention to that.

The default attitude of most four-year-olds is "make me" and if you let them know what will result in you making them do the thing, they will pay attention.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by bryanrasmussen on Friday March 15, 2019 @05:25AM (#19398002)

Did I say he was exceptionally difficult? I wouldn't know, since I didn't parent him.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by watwut on Friday March 15, 2019 @05:30AM (#19398031)

That referred more to your friend. The "having to yell at him because basically he was the only adult in his life that kept him in check". It sounds honestly like an excuse making and rationalization.

Not that I never yelled at kids. I did. But this reaction on that situation sound like that.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by bryanrasmussen on Friday March 15, 2019 @05:42AM (#19398093)

Probably, but I wasn't in his shoes. I mean the guy was not the father, came in after the kid had grown some, was with a mother who did not say Damien don't take knives out of the drawer without asking but just laughed about it, and I expect was also from a somewhat disciplinarian background himself.

So, he was probably wrong in how he handled it, but it was quite heartfelt what he said, he was handling it as well as he could, and perhaps that was badly. It was hard for me to second guess him under the circumstance.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by watwut on Friday March 15, 2019 @07:04AM (#19398514)

The mom was not there at the moment?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger by bryanrasmussen on Friday March 15, 2019 @04:30PM (#19403993)

the mom was not there when the son came in with the knife. when told about it she laughed, that lovable little scamp. She was not there when my friend unburdened himself about what he considered his obligations to the kid, and what he thought was the difficulties. At any rate, it's a long time ago now. I was just sharing it in that people for various reasons may end up shouting while trying to do their best, then again people may also end up shouting because they are too stressed by situations which is also a problem, but they should be helped then.

[ Parent | on HN ]