Video of women scolding toddler inside a plane toilet goes viral
BEIJING – A video showing two women scolding a crying toddler in an airplane bathroom has gone viral on social media in China, igniting a debate on how to handle children in distress on public transportation.
According to a statement issued by Juneyao Airlines on Aug 26, the incident occurred on Flight HO2382 from Guiyang, Guizhou province, to Shanghai on the morning of Aug 24.
The child, who was travelling with her grandparents, began crying during the flight. To minimise the disturbance to the other passengers, two female travellers, who were unknown to the couple, took the distressed child into the bathroom with the grandmother’s consent. The grandmother accompanied them and waited outside.
The video, which appeared to be filmed by one of the women, showed the child crying and coughing as the other woman, seated on the toilet, told the girl she could leave the bathroom to see her grandmother only if she stopped crying.
The video also showed the woman using stern language and threatening to leave the child in the bathroom if the crying persisted.
The airline conducted an internal investigation and reached out to the child’s mother for clarification. The mother, having received a full account of the incident from the grandmother, expressed her understanding of the women’s actions, according to the statement.
The incident prompted an online discussion about whether such disciplinary measures were appropriate, and the need for greater empathy towards children in distress. It became a hot topic on the Sina Weibo micro-blogging platform on Aug 27, with many netizens criticising the women, the airline and even the grandparents for the situation.
Some argued that the measures taken were acceptable to reduce noise and make the flight more comfortable for the other passengers, while others said there should have been more understanding and patience shown towards the child.
Associate professor of psychology Guo Xiamei at Xiamen University, in Fujian province, said the girl’s behaviour was developmentally appropriate for her age.
“Children around the ages of two to three years old naturally cry and act out as part of their developmental process,” Professor Guo said, adding that such behaviour is entirely normal at that stage of their psychological and physiological growth.
The professor also criticised the child’s grandparents.
“It is concerning that the grandparents allowed strangers to take the child to the bathroom for discipline,” she said. “Entrusting the care and discipline of grandchildren to strangers is both risky and unreasonable.”
Prof Guo also took issue with the approach taken by the two passengers.
“The so-called discipline administered in the bathroom seemed more like a threat than effective teaching,” she said, adding that authoritative methods are not suitable for young children, and it is even more problematic when applied by strangers.
“Even for parents, using intimidation as a parenting technique is not advisable,” she said.
The handling of young travellers on public transportation in China has long been a topic of debate, with many complaining about disruptive behavior while others advocate for amore tolerance.
In this case, Prof Guo suggested that airlines could better address the needs of crying children by offering comfort items such as cookies or toys.
“Chinese believe that to care for the young reflects a society’s overall civility and compassion,” she said. “Tolerance towards vulnerable groups is a manifestation of the collective moral standards of society.” – CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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