Jang Young-ran: Teaching responsibility after son broke 1.5M won lamp

Broadcaster Jang Young-ran revealed how she disciplined her son after he accidentally broke an expensive lamp. Immediately after the accident, her priority was checking the child's safety; while she clearly taught him to take responsibility for his mistake, she avoided pushing him too hard for the error. Jang's parenting philosophy drew renewed attention as it was revealed that her son is still paying back the cost of the lamp, which amounted to approximately 1.5 million won.

On the May 5 broadcast of the JTBC variety show 'Knowing Bros,' Jang appeared as a guest alongside Han Seok-jun, Shin Gi-ru, and Hwang Jae-gyun.

During the episode, Jang introduced herself as an 'A-list Mom,' expressing confidence in her parenting. She stated, "I have been involved with 'My Golden Kids' for about 6 to 7 years," adding, "I learned so much through that program."

For Jang, the program was more than just a professional milestone; it served as an opportunity to reflect on her own parenting methods. She explained that by observing conflicts in various families and the relationships between parents and children, she realized that it is not just about correcting a child's problematic behavior, but how the parents react that truly matters.

In fact, Jang revealed that she still maintains a close relationship with her children, even as they enter puberty. She said, "Even though the kids are in puberty, they still snuggle up to me. They say, 'Mom, I love you,' and even kiss me on the lips."

Jang's parenting style involves maintaining emotional closeness with her children while providing clear, necessary discipline. She shared that she even heard the words "You really raised them well" from Dr. Oh Eun-young, a specialist in mental health.

During the show, Kim Shin-young mentioned a scene she saw on Jang's YouTube channel. It was an incident where her son, Jun-u, was playing around during a family trip to Australia and broke an expensive lamp at their accommodation.

The moment the lamp broke, it was an inevitably panicking situation for the parents. The price was also around 1.5 million won. However, the first thing Jang did was not to scold the child.

She first checked on him by asking, "Jun-u, are you hurt?" Only after confirming that he was not injured did she address his actions.

Jang's disciplinary method shown in this scene is characterized by separating 'safety verification' from 'responsibility education.' She addressed both the fact that an accident occurred and the fact that the child could have been hurt. Rather than rebuking the child himself, she focused on the specific wrongness of the action.

Jun-u shed tears, saying, "Mom, I didn't mean to do that." While Jang hugged her crying son, she did not simply laugh off the situation.

She emphasized, "When disciplining, you must speak clearly." This stems from her belief that if no responsibility is demanded simply because it was a mistake, it would be difficult for the child to learn the consequences of their actions on others.

However, the discipline did not drag on. Once her son apologized sufficiently, Jang explained, "You grow through making mistakes. You just need to be careful next time." While pointing out the mistake, she focused on guiding future behavior rather than imprinting the error as a source of guilt.

What particularly caught attention was the financial responsibility. Since the lamp worth approximately 1.5 million won was broken, Jang also taught her son to be accountable for his mistake. She said, "He is still paying it back. Our Jun-u is living a hardworking life."

The broadcast even showed Jun-u doing the dishes, which brought laughter. Instead of the parents simply paying for the expensive item, she made him understand the consequences of his actions.

While 'discipline' in parenting has long been viewed as a matter of control and punishment, it has recently expanded to include developing emotional regulation, responsibility, and an understanding of one's own actions. Jang's case aligns with this trend, choosing a middle ground—neither unconditionally shielding the child nor excessively reprimanding the mistake.

Jang entered the entertainment industry as an Mnet VJ in 2001 and has since expanded her career as a broadcaster. With her characteristic bright and honest way of speaking, she has actively shared her experiences in variety shows as well as parenting and counseling-related programs. In particular, she has built an image as a 'realistic mom' by sharing her daily life with her children and husband through SNS and YouTube.

This anecdote gained interest because the most important part of the incident was not the broken lamp, but the words the parent spoke in that moment. Jang first asked, "Are you hurt?" and subsequently taught him that he must learn to take responsibility for his actions.

Mistakes are an inevitable part of growing up, but the attitude following a mistake can be learned. This is precisely what Jang is teaching her son: teaching responsibility rather than just scolding, and demanding accountability without withdrawing love.