During a blog hop this weekend, I read a hilarious post about one family’s weird parenting rituals. From making the teens recite Little Bunny Foo Foo 20 times when they’ve been naughty to tenting in the backyard once a month to promote bonding, it was a hoot from start to finish. I wish I had some strange Ponti parenting traditions to report, but we’re just not there yet. I was inspired, however, to take a look at some of the bizarre parenting customs and traditions from around the world. Here are five worth mentioning:
Lotus Birth
Some parents eat the placenta. Others choose to keep it attached to the umbilical cord and baby after birth, allowing it to fall off naturally within days – after it rots and smells like an armadillo died in your closet. What is the reasoning behind a lotus birth? A more peaceful, non-violent experience is often cited by advocates who support this left-field birthing ritual.
Snow Bank Napping
Okay, that might be an extreme headline, but don’t underestimate the au’ naturel approach of the Danish parent. It is quite common for Scandinavian moms and dads to leave their babies outside for naps. These same parents also frequently leave their sleeping children alone in prams outside when they go into restaurants or shops! Thankfully Denmark has a relatively low crime rate. And population.
Saliva Surprise and Chicken Poop
This one makes me think I’ve stepped into the world of Donnie Darko. In Bulgaria, people viewing your new bundle of joy for the first time just might spit in his or her face while reciting, “May the chickens poop on you.” WTF? According to tradition, if one praises a baby the devil might become jealous. Insults protect the child not only from the devil, but also from becoming too vain or proud. Supposedly.
Diaper-Free Tots
In China, parents don’t fool around. Within just a few weeks of being born, moms and dads hold their children over commodes so that they can do their business like adults. That’s why most Chinese toddlers are fully potty-trained by the time they are 12-months-old. Ironically, most disposable diapers are made in China.
Legal Child Labor
In Yucatan, children as young as two-years-old can be seen out hunting, washing clothes or feeding chickens to help out the family. No cookies and milk after school for these youngsters. It’s all work, no play. Don’t tell Samsung!
On a side note, here in the states, if a child in Nebraska burps in church, his or her parent could be arrested. That’s one hell of a belch bust!
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