Two children in Zhoukou City, Henan Province, recently mixed various grains sold in a supermarket, rendering them unsellable, much to the supermarket’s frustration. The incident made headlines on August 14th, sparking discussions on how to educate children.
According to various mainland Chinese news sources like Knews, footage circulating online shows a boy and a girl, around six or seven years old, playing in the supermarket’s grain-selling area. They used a scoop meant for grains to mix different types together before running off.
Mr. Qin, the person in charge of the supermarket, stated in a video on August 12th, “Nearly all types of grains were mixed, equivalent to having to replace the entire grain area.”
Mr. Qin explained that it was during lunchtime when there weren’t many people around since some employees were on their lunch break. The two children happened to be there at that time.
Regarding how the mixed grains were handled, Mr. Qin mentioned that all the mixed grains were taken off the shelves and either disposed of or consumed internally by the staff.
Mr. Qin thought the children’s behavior was “quite exasperating” and contemplated whether to find their parents and have a conversation with them.
Following the release of this news, it sparked a lot of discussion among netizens. Some suggested that the parents should “buy all of it”. Others said, “Either the parents should buy all of it, or the grains should be completely separated.”
Many netizens believed that the supermarket should involve the police from an educational perspective, helping the children realize their mistakes. “Children’s education is crucial, so, reporting to the police, finding the parents, and then demanding that the parents and children separate all the grains, teaching them to take responsibility for their actions.”
An article in Yangcheng Evening News pointed out that news of mischievous children causing trouble, termed “naughty kids,” is not uncommon and poses significant threats and harm to society. To address the issue of misbehaving children, family education is particularly crucial. Many parents neglect disciplining their children, only focusing on their academic achievements while ignoring their behavior and moral education. Some parents even choose to indulge their children’s risky behavior. If parents do not provide guidance on a regular basis and dismiss their children’s misbehavior with “children don’t understand,” the children will not realize the harm of their wrongful actions and may continue to make mistakes, possibly leading to serious consequences.
In China, many supermarkets pour bulk grains into a large plastic container for the convenience of families purchasing small amounts, with small bags provided nearby for customers to use.
Public data indicates that “naughty kids” is an internet term originating from a Chinese dialect, mostly referring to children displaying mischievous and destructive behavior due to a lack of proper family education, including disrupting public order and damaging others’ property.