A Chinese man has become popular in his home country for adopting the role of “bad uncle” and scaring strangers’ children into finishing their meals and going to bed early.

I remember my mom telling me that the Boogey Man would get me if I didn’t listen to her, but in China, the “bad uncle” is a more popular figure, and I dare say a more efficient one now that kids can finally associate a face to the name. That’s right, parents trying to get their kids to be more obedient can try the services of a bad uncle for hire, who will record a video of himself frowning and making faces at the camera to scare kids into listening to their parents, for a fee.

Luo Qingjun, who hails from Lishui City, in China’s Zhejiang Province, reportedly played bad uncle for a friend’s child, as a favor, but after recording a very effective video, his friend recommended him to other parents, and before he knew it, Luo became a bad uncle for-hire.

Whether we’re talking kids who never finish their meals, refuse to go to bed early or don’t clean up their toys, Luo Qingjun knows just hot to handle them. He takes commissions from their parents and creates custom videos for each of them, addressing them by name and warning them that if they don’t listen to their folks, they’ll have to deal with him. And they don’t want to do that…

“Trash should be thrown into the trash can, don’t you know? I will catch you if you don’t listen to your parents!” the 27-year-old bad uncle can be heard saying in a video.

“If you don’t do your homework, don’t eat and don’t go to sleep, I will take you away!” he warns another kid.

Luo’s threats may seem disturbing to many modern western parents, but Chinese parents are reportedly going crazy over his fierce facial expressions and roaring voice, and throwing money at him to make their kids behave better. And apparently he gets the job done most of the time, especially when dealing with very young children (under the age of 5).

“Thank you, brother, it was very effective, the child is already sleeping!” one satisfied user wrote on Luo Qingjun’s page.

“My three-year-old son was scared at first sight, and he was immediately obedient,” someone else posted.

The bad uncle service has been making national news headlines in China, but while most of those who have hired Luo Qingjun praise his effectiveness, there are those who disapprove of his methods and warn that it could cause psychological trauma.

This kind of ‘scare’ education has limited educational effect on children, and it can have negative effects,” Zheng Xiaobian, a professor of psychology at Central China Normal University, said. “Mental intimidation is more harmful than physical punishment and is not conducive to children’s healthy development!”

 

via The Paper (Chinese)