There is a parenting trend that has recently taken over social media: gentle parenting. There are numerous practitioners and therapists on TikTok that have discussed the beneficial impacts of gentle parenting, but what does it even mean?
The Basics
Gentle parenting is just one of the many different types of parenting. It is focused on a relationship between parent and child that centers on respect for one another. As the name suggests, it is a “softer” form of parenting in comparison to other types that have been common practice. The four “pillars” of this style are empathy, respect, boundaries, and understanding.
Gentle parenting is often shown on social media through conversation between parent and child. The parent speaks calmly even when the child may be throwing a temper tantrum. This is an attempt to demonstrate to the child how people are supposed to react in situations when they get upset.
The Good
The goal is to empower you children to speak up about their boundaries and voice their concerns starting at a young age in a healthy manner. By giving them space to do that as a child, it may foster comfort when using their voice as an adult in a professional environment. Advocates of gentle parenting say that it helps to reduce social anxiety in the long run and that it fosters great communication skills.
The (Potentially) Bad
Although there appear to be a lot of benefits to this parenting style, there are potentially some downsides. This approach is certainly not for everyone– and that’s okay. Parenting is all about figuring out what works for you and your family; which may take some time to figure out, especially while your children are growing up and figuring themselves out. Gentle parenting has the potential to be somewhat enabling of bad behaviors if parents do not also vocalize and enforce their boundaries. It is great to teach your kid to voice the things that bother them, but as a parent, you also need to do that from time to time.
One Additional Consideration
When parents choose to co-parent, it may be beneficial to discuss what your plan and attitude is toward parenting. It could be somewhat confusing for a young child if they are treated very differently by separate parents, especially if the parents are physically separate in different residences. Even if both parents do not choose to employ gentle parenting, it may be beneficial to have a conversation and get creative to see what benefits your family the most.
At the end of the day, there is no “perfect” way to raise a child. However, exploring different options could prove helpful especially when parenting seems daunting.
If you or someone you know is going through parenting challenges, our Modern Legal Team is here to help.
Written by: Theresa E. Viera
