Mom shares the unique way in which she deals with her toddler's tantrums, sparking debate

Today's generation of children is quite different from the kind of kids there were earlier. Today's generation is in touch as well as in sync with their emotions. However, just as most things have pros and cons, so does this generation. The abundance of emotional knowledge they have at such a young age sometimes probes them to act out. In such situations, how one handles them can play a crucial role in their growth and upbringing. In a video posted by Emma Hosfeld—who goes by @emma.hosfeld on Instagram—she talks about how she reacts when her kid acts out.

She begins the video by giving us some context. The first part of her video's overlay states, "Today, my six-year-old was acting horribly." She then goes on to elaborate on exactly what she means by horribly. She explains that her kid was throwing things, hitting objects, screaming a lot and also breaking things. When you think about it, such aggressive behaviors are quite normal or rather, normalized in today's kids. And what is our general reaction to it? Well, we punish them or take away their television time. However, Hosfeld took a different approach. She asked, "Did I punish him?" And answering her own question, she promptly said, "Nope."

She then proceeded to share what it was that she did to reprimand the kid for his behavior. Well, truthfully, nothing. She chose a healthier route. She said that she decided to throw her kid a backyard tea party with vanilla cake. Not only that, she also invited the kid to play soccer with her. She did the opposite of yelling at the kid and did everything to make him feel loved. She continues by saying how she spun the kid around in her arms. All in all, she did everything in her power to give her child her undivided attention as well as take the kid out on a special date—just the two of them, one-on-one.

Explaining why she did what she did, considering how different it was from any other parent or person's reaction to a child's misbehavior, she said, "Because a child who is having a hard time does not need more punishments." And honestly? That does make a lot of sense. Even we, as adults, give back what we have within. If a kid is acting out, it probably stems from a desire for more of the parent's attention. Punishing them when they act out would probably push them to do that more. She concludes by saying, "They need more connections." Even in the caption of the video, she says that she believes in connection over everything else. She further adds that guidance can be received only when a person feels safe, connected and loved unconditionally. With conditions, connections falter.

The comment section has opposing views. While some parents agreed with this method of dealing with misbehavior, others disagreed. @lieserland agreed and said, "I'm surprised how many folks are upset by this concept. I might have been that way too, until I started to heal my childhood trauma. Now I see how connection before correction is the way. Listen to your own inner child, folks. And you will hear." On the other hand, @susiewhiteyoga said, "I totally hear the sentiment and agree that connection is key. We also have to prepare our kids for the wider world and help them become resilient to the challenges they face. The reality is that no one else is going to reward more negative behavior in any way, shape or form, the opposite is true. Throwing a tea party seems counterintuitive to me."