One of the most uplifting news stories of recent weeks came out of Japan, from the northern island of Hokkaido. A local family were having a day out on the slopes of Mount Komagatake but seven year old Yamato Tanooka was being a pain in the neck. To teach him a lesson, his parents left him on his own for a short while but the punishment went wrong and the little boy became lost in the "bear infested" forest for six days.
Naturally, there were genuine fears for the boy's safety and the way things like this normally go, most of the world was expecting that it would all end with the discovery of a dead body. But it didn't. Instead searchers found little Yamato in an abandoned military camp. He wasn't upset and apparently he "wolfed down" rice balls and bread proffered by the soldiers who found him.
Later I read that Yamato had forgiven his father who was shown in the media spotlight, displaying his shame and stupidity like a medieval felon with his head in the stocks. The idea of a seven year old lad forgiving his father is itself rather amusing.
I love Yamato's cheeky little face and can vaguely remember when our own kids were occasionally hyperactive pains. Parents have a limited amount of patience and tolerance and like me, many will have some sympathy with Yamato's tearful father. What do you do when your kid is being what Americans call "a pain in the ass"? Yamato looks as if he is full of beans. It was so heartening when the news broke that he was safe and sound no doubt ready for more mischief.
It was wonderful that he was found safe and alive. He seems to be a very resourceful little boy and I suspect he's a whole bundle of trouble!
ReplyDeleteJust as a little boy should be!
DeleteIt did serve a purpose , it scared my 7 year old grandson to death as it was pointed out that this is what happens when you stone cars .Hadnt the heart to tell him we dont have bears in the woods only doggers
ReplyDeleteYour last remark tickled me pink!...When does the dogger shooting season begin?
DeleteHe looks like a little pain in the ass to me! If I had thrown rocks at cars when I was that age, being left alone would have been preferable to the fury of my mother that would have rained down on my head!
ReplyDeleteI heard that Yamoto had been throwing rocks but I didn't realise he had been throwing them at cars - like Kate Steeper's grandson. When I was seven throwing stones at cars was one of my favourite hobbies - along with pulling girls' pigtails and swinging cats round with their tails.
DeleteIt was wonderful that the boy was found safe and sound. Hopefully he will have learned a lesson. On the other hand I hope his parents learned a lesson, too, from their own stupidity!!
ReplyDeleteAs Shakespeare said - all's well that ends well. Yamato could become a Japanese media star.
DeleteIt's nice to be reminded that there IS occasionally good news in the world! (But what the heck were those parents thinking?!)
ReplyDeleteThe parents were thinking, "Let's give the world a good news story!"
DeleteI've used the same method with dogs and kids. It works great, but the kid needs to be much younger (like 3 years old) and the location needs to be carefully considered. You only have to do it once.
ReplyDeleteI guess it didn't do your Bob any harm... but I bet you were secretly watching him.
DeleteWhat would we be saying about the parents if the story had ended differently? I venture to say that the parent would be vilified by the world. And, rightly so in my opinion. There are all kinds of reasonable punishments but one that puts the child in mortal danger is absolutely not acceptable.
ReplyDeleteThat's true. It could have all ended up very differently. That's why this is such a good news story Mama Thyme.
Delete\Yes, I agree that if the outcome had been different, heaven forbid, then the public reaction would have been an outcry - and tightly so. Anyone who has had young children knows that sometimes they drive you crazy - but that doesn't mean dumping them on the roadside is an option.
ReplyDeleteSorry YP - obviously the end of that first sentence should read 'rightly so'.
ReplyDelete"tightly so" deserves to be in a different sentence such as.
DeleteYorkshire folk look after their money and tightly so.
OR
Katie Price squeezed into her leopard print leggings and tightly so.
Yes I read that he'd been throwing stones at cars. That in itself can cause death. These days a slight 'You shouldn't do that Yamato it's naughty' would, of course be the voice of reason and all children would have instantly obeyed. Or sue their parents for oral abuse.
ReplyDeleteOral abuse is a bad thing in a post Jimmy Savile world.
DeleteObviously a kid with a great future as host of a survival TV programme.
ReplyDeleteI t would be very interesting to see what he is doing thirty years from now.
DeleteMy father used to stop the car by the side of the road and put me out and drive off. I was young, terrified and traumatized. I can remember being hysterical and he thought it was funny. In hindsight, I wish I would have run off and been able to scare him.
ReplyDeleteTo me that sounds very traumatic and clearly not something that would be easy to forget.
DeleteWhen I was a little beaner I wandered off a few times. we were in the country. People were very upset that I had wandered and I was punished. I think some kids just naturally wander off.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was one of them too. At the age of three/four I had to wear an information disc round my neck like a dog.
DeleteIt is rare that I have nothing to say on a post of yours, YP. This is one such rare occasion.
ReplyDeleteThat is your privilege ma'am.
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