January 17 2024- The article discusses the common practice in Singapore of parents using the threat of abandonment to encourage their children to comply with leaving a place, such as a toy store or playground. Dr. Cherie Chan, a clinical psychologist, notes that instilling fear in a child to ensure compliance may indeed work but comes with a cost.
The mention of a viral TikTok clip in November provides a specific example where a father “abandoned” his son at the National Library Building because the child was engrossed with an exhibit and didn’t want to leave. The boy was shown searching for his parents before breaking into a relieved smile upon finding them.
