On December 12, a post on China's SNS Xiaohongshu (RED) stating, "In Japan, you rarely see children lying down on the ground and throwing tantrums," garnered a lot of reactions.

The poster, who said they had been living in Japan for half a year, uploaded a photo of their own child lying on the ground and throwing a tantrum, mentioning, "In Japan, you really don't see children throwing tantrums and making a fuss in public places very often." They added, "I feel this strongly, especially in the subway. Even children around 2 or 3 years old sit quietly next to their mothers, they don't run around or shout loudly. When they speak to their mothers, they lean in and speak in a low voice. Many children aren't looking at smartphones, and parents don't bribe them with snacks."

They also stated, "Even small babies, if they're crying, become quiet immediately when picked up. It's the same in restaurants, shopping malls, hospitals, and so on." They then explained, "Of course, it's not that all Japanese children are like this, and perhaps my scope of observation is just limited. But after living here (in Japan) for a while, it's certain that I don't often see children crying loudly or making a big fuss for extended periods."

On the other hand, regarding their own 2.5-year-old child, they said, "I've repeatedly told him the rules for riding the subway, and he understands them. When he's in a good mood, he can follow them properly. But when he's in a bad mood, neither soothing nor scolding has any effect. After a while, he tries to stand up, touches this and that, and his voice gradually gets louder as he talks. Even if I caution him, he forgets again in about two minutes. When he seems like he's going to bother those around him, I take out a snack and say, 'Here, eat this. Please, just be quiet for a bit.'"

Furthermore, they explained that their child sometimes cries if something doesn't go their way, and in severe cases, even lies down on the ground. They admitted, "I understand intellectually that one should empathize with, be close to, and accept a child's emotions, but in such situations, I truly get angry, and the thought of just hitting them once sometimes crosses my mind."

Then, they questioned, "Even after living in Japan for a long time, I've never seen a Japanese parent hit their child outside, and I've rarely seen parents scold their children loudly. So, I'm genuinely curious. How do they do it? Do they strictly teach rules for public places from a young age? Do children learn this through group life in nurseries and kindergartens? Or do Japanese children also make a big fuss when they go home, and I just don't see it?"

In response to this post, Chinese netizens expressed agreement, with comments such as, "I've always wondered about that too. I've seen many times (in Japan) how even babies being held stop crying immediately when soothed. It's completely different from Chinese children who cry endlessly," "I agree. I don't know how to soothe them. It feels awkward to draw attention in public places, as if I'm abusing them," "I want to know too. I gave birth to and am raising my child in Japan, but he throws tantrums and lies down all over the place. Is it perhaps etched in their DNA?" and "I've been to Japan many times, and all the children seem calm."

Regarding the reasons, opinions included, "They start educating children about behavior from the moment they are born," "(In Japan) as soon as children enter nursery school or kindergarten, education on emotional control begins. That's why by the time they are 3-4 years old, there are almost no children making a big fuss in public places," "In Japan, children are taught from a young age to 'read the air' (understand the mood of the situation). My child speaks in a low voice in Japanese public places because everyone around them does so. But in public places in China, they laugh loudly and sing songs because the surroundings are lively," and "It might be related to the fact that Japanese mothers are all patient. Even if a child throws a tantrum, instead of getting angry, they calmly explain the reasoning or redirect the child's attention."

On the other hand, many comments also said, "You just haven't encountered them. Children in every country are usually noisy," "They exist in Japan too. (Uploading a video of a Japanese child throwing a tantrum) The parents kept dragging the child like this. When they reached the stairs, the child walked by themselves," "I've seen it many times in Japan too. Children are the same in every country." Other views emerged, such as, "I've seen it many times. Parents always drag their child to a less crowded area (lol)," and "There are crying children in Japan too, but the parents' manners are good. Usually, if a child cries, they take them to a less crowded place to calm them down," suggesting that due to parental consideration, such behavior is less noticeable in public. (Translation/Editing: Kitada)