"What a mess this is. Your 8-year-old is a child with a developing brain and, thus, a developing understanding of consequences. Trying to trip someone carrying a hot dish of food is the kind of opportunistic decision that a young kid might take because he hasn't yet learned to think through the results of his actions. As adults, we can foresee what might happen next, including grave injury-only a cruel adult would do this-but kids are still getting the hang of future thinking."
"During dinner, our 11-year-old daughter was bringing a green bean casserole from the kitchen to the table when Jonah deliberately tripped her, causing her to drop it. The casserole was in a dish that belonged to my wife's grandmother, and it broke when it fell. Janna was outraged and now she says that Jonah should get nothing for Christmas to teach him a lesson."
An eight-year-old acted opportunistically and tripped his sister, causing a treasured dish to break. Children at that age have developing brains and limited ability to foresee consequences, so mischief can lead unintentionally to serious outcomes. Adults can anticipate harm in ways children cannot, making proportionate responses essential. The child made a mistake but is not inherently bad. Excessive punishments, such as denying all Christmas presents, can be cruel and disproportionate. A calmer, restorative approach and open communication among parents can address the behavior while teaching appropriate consequences.
Read at Slate Magazine
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