A mother in China stopped her car on an expressway to physically discipline her young son after he threatened to jump out of the vehicle, sparking an intense debate on parenting methods.
The incident, which took place in mid-February in Zhengzhou, Henan province, went viral after a video surfaced online, South China Morning Post reported.
ALSO READ: Chinese company limits toilet breaks to 2 minutes, citing ancient text
The footage shows the mother, identified by her surname Zhang, pulling over in the emergency lane before forcing her son out of the car.
She then used a tree branch to whip him while holding onto his coat to prevent him from running away.
The boy, believed to be around eight-years-old, is heard crying in the background.
She explained that her son had refused to return home and threw a tantrum, escalating to threats of jumping from the moving car.
“I found verbal education did not work. His actions were affecting my ability to drive safely,” she said.
“I knew I would be fined for stopping the car on the freeway. But I could not stand him any longer.
“I needed to teach him a lesson immediately,” she added.
Under China’s Road Safety Regulations, stopping in the emergency lane for non-emergencies results in a 200 yuan (US$27) fine and a nine-point deduction from the driver’s licence.
Zhang defended her parenting approach, stating that her family rule prohibits other adults from intervening when a parent is disciplining their child.
This explained why the person who filmed the video did not step in.
On February 18, she shared a follow-up video where her son admitted his mistake.
“I realise that it is quite dangerous to jump out of the car on an expressway. It was wrong. I hope other children will not learn from me,” he said.
The video has amassed over 5 million views, with netizens divided over Zhang’s actions.
One netizen commented, “At first I thought the mother was unstable.
But after learning the details of the incident, I support her.”
However, another netizen warned, “It is still dangerous to beat a child on the road. What if he ran into the middle of the road? It is better to hit him after you get home.”
