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Babies crawl and bawl to finish line in race

19 Comments

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19 Comments
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Isn't this a type of child cruelty......?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Kurisupisu, a bit but not as bad as the sumo event where little ones are to cry in an outdoor ring ...made to cry. I hate that side of the culture.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Thats a ugliest way to win a digital camera for any parent to say the least.

The wierd things that the world of peer pressure could put one through.

Even the tiny trots are not spared here.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I'm surprised Benesse was still in possession at the end of the event!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"Child cruelty?" - Oh, please. When I was that age, the distance was 50 meters - over burning embers. Kids these days have it easy.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Have parents no shame?

What next? Kirin, Asahi and Sapporo having a public peeing up the wall contest for inebriated salarymen, with a case of Super Dry as first prize?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

What next? Kirin, Asahi and Sapporo having a public peeing up the wall contest for inebriated salarymen, with a case of Super Dry as first prize?

Sounds kind of fun. I think I could win that.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Benesse starting them early for a life of gaman, gambaru, and self-limiting beliefs.

Children this age are highly empathetic. Many will have been freaked out being by so much crying.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I have a kid in that age range and I wouldnt mind letting him take part in something like that. Just because an activity makes a baby cry doesnt make it child cruelty. Its just baby`s crawling around under close supervision of their parents for crying out loud.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Three meters distance is just a joke. When I was a baby, I could crawl and brawl better and faster. Burmese Python did not match with me for fair and square competition. I have survived many dangerous and chilling intruders without anyone help.

Life has meaning for surviving. In the animals world, babies have no luxury for depending on parents. If animal babies can not run, crawl and swim, they becomes the history before their first anniversary.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Just think in the world of business, some company could sponsor the event, like a local nappies manufacturer or supermarket! the winner could win 50 free nappies, is this whole event in bad taste?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Just think in the world of business, some company could sponsor the event

Brian, 'Japanese publisher Benesse' doesn't start to describe a $4bn education monolith that ranges from this activity to Berlitz.

is this whole event in bad taste?

Is recruiting adoring, lifelong consumers in bad taste?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's not cruelty but I think a lot of westerners are shocked to see things like making kids cry on purpose or deliberately scaring kidz into crying. People seem to think it's hilarious in general, and it's completely acceptable here. I had an argument with someone this year who insisted that ALL the Kidz partake in tanabata (throwing beans at a demon) even though the 1 and 2 year old were terrified.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

...a lot of westerners are shocked to see things like making kids cry on purpose...

Have you ever made your toddler sit on Santa's lap just so you could get a photo? It's not so different from the sumo thing as far as the kids are concerned.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

If my memory still serves me, there is an element in Japanese culture Japanese call: "Kaze-no-ko." It's the idea that a moderate degree of hardship, such as some exposure to the weather, toughens a child to become a better, healthier person. Maybe it's a reason why there are still Japanese.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Laguna

Thanks for clearing up the Santa and Sumo issue for me! If you read my post I was talking about how (me being American/ Japanese) notice that here it's more fun and games if your kid is freaking out and crying about say a Tanabata demon, whereas a lot of people I know elsewhere would think it's unnecessary and will give them bad dreams or whatever.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

thepersoniamnow

Japanese also put toddlers into the mouths of shishi (lion-dragon monsters) such as at the 2:10 point in this video https://youtu.be/ObSGNmN3fu8?t=2m10s (after a phallic dance).

I guess that the benefit is that by giving children scary experiences (being alone for 3m, or faced with a devil or dragon) in a controlled environment it makes the children more capable of reacting without panic to real threats. But I agree it is very different. I had culture shock when I first saw Japanese child-torture, as I then perceived it. Now I wear the devil mask and "torture" or rather, toughen up, my kids.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@timtak

I know what you mean! I guess for me in the end if the kid is little and truly freaked out I feel bad for him/her anyways. I don't see the benefits cause I remember how much a scene from a movie or book would give me nightmares when I was little...or maybe I should've been toughened up in the monsters mouth.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Timtak, you talk about toughening up the kids, can you tell my why so many school children commit suicide ? this seems to blow the theory of toughing up the children

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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