Gentle Parenting
Gentle Parenting is the way to raise healthy, happy, disciplined, and resilient kids in a nonviolent and responsible way.
The objectives of Gentle Parenting
Traditional parenting style is focused on immediate results and control over the lives of children but Gentle Parenting has the objective of improving the lives of children in the long run rather than taking control over their lives. Gentle Parenting aims to raise happy, emotionally well-regulated, resilient, happy, healthy, and successful kids.
Why parents should choose Gentle Parenting?
Are you interested in gaining control over the lives of your children, whatever the cost? Or you are interested in raising kids who are happy, healthy, resilient, and successful? If you are interested in the best interest of your children then Gentle Parenting is the best parenting style for you and your child. It will not cause you to regret it as a parent. Gentle Parenting is a way to raise calm, peaceful, resilient, emotionally well regulated, happy, healthy, successful, and peaceful children with powerful positive foundations of childhood. These positive foundations or positive childhood experiences will empower your children with resilience and positive power throughout their lives.
Other types of parenting
Before moving on to explain Gentle Parenting, it is important to know about some other types of parenting to differentiate and compare Gentle Parenting with other types of parenting.
Authoritaritative Parenting
Parents practicing the Authoritative Parenting style have high expectations but they are responsive. They exercise strict discipline and also use the punishment and reward system.
Authoritarian Parenting
Parents practicing the Authoritarian Parenting style have high expectations from kids but they are not responsive. They shout and yell over the children. They threaten the children and abuse them verbally. They also use beating and spanking to express their authority and make children obey them.
Attachment Parenting & Gentle Parenting
Attachment Parenting is closer to the Gentle Parenting in a sense that it also emphasizes on developing parent-child attachment or parent-child connection. However, Gentle Parenting is broader than attachment parenting and includes the elements of attachment parenting.
Therapeutic Parenting & Gentle Parenting
Therapeutic Parenting Practices are aimed at understanding the situations of children and put efforts for solving their issues. Therapeutic parenting is about helping children heal emotionally. Unlike traditional concepts of parenting, therapeutic parenting guides about building connection with children, understanding all their emotional conditions and healing it empathy, love, kindness and care. Gentle parenting practices include all guidance on Therapeutic Parenting.
Parenting an autistic child
Principles of Gentle Parenting
Gentle parenting has the following important principles. These principles must not be violated, otherwise, it is no more Gentle Parenting.
1. No hitting or spanking
Hitting or spanking are not practiced in the Gentle Parenting style.
2. No yelling and shouting
Shouting and yelling is harmful to the mental health of a child. The Gentle Parenting style is scientific and evidence-informed. It prohibits shouting and yelling due to its harmful consequences on child health.
3. No verbal abuse and swearing
Mutual respect is an essential part of the Gentle Parenting process. Through mutual respect, parents can strengthen their bond with their children and inspire them for doing good things.
4. No punishment
Instead of punishing the children for their behavior parents work with children for their growth, development, and transformation. According to the latest findings of child psychology, punishment has adverse effects on the personality of a child.
5. Discipline equals freedom, not strict control
In the Gentle Parenting style, discipline equals freedom. Parents educate children for taking control of their lives. This self-control is very important for them to live a successful life. However, this control is in their own hands to be more effective and successful.
6. No harshness but kindness in Gentle Parenting style
As Rumi said that kindness is the highest form of wisdom. Practice kindness with children so that they should spread this highest form of wisdom. Kindness has the power to raise the responsible, disciplined, effective, productive, successful, and above all kind kids in society. Kindness helps you raise calm, happy, healthy, and peaceful kids
7. Empathy
Empathy is about being in the shoes of others for understanding their situations. Gentle Parenting is not about taking external parental control over the lives of children but exercising empathy and assisting them for their peaceful journey and supporting them where we are required to help them.
8. Gentle Parenting is Conscious Parenting
What is conscious parenting? Parenting is full of fun and enjoyment but it is also a very sensitive responsibility. Conscious parenting is about understanding every act, every situation, every interaction, and their consequences during the process of parenting. While exercising Gentle Parenting, non of our acts should be executed in an unconscious and irresponsible way. Conscious parenting leads to conscious discipline.
9. Self-understanding of parents
Some parents could be good at Gentle Parenting than others. It is because of their personality characteristics, societal and cultural influence, earlier learnings, personal history, self-control, and other such factors. Parents must know what triggers them, how to identify that triggering moment and how to address it effectively. Gentle Parenting is more about parental self-understanding and self-control.
10. Understand the child
All the children are different from each other. Some children have more energy and mobility than others and some children are more curious than others. Parents should know the specific personality characteristics, habits, patterns, and tendencies of their child and create effective strategies in the best interest of their child. Especially during toddler tantrums, parents need to understand that why the child is angry or aggressive. Read this article below for knowing more about tantrums and parental response.
In Gentle Parenting discipline equals freedom
In traditional parenting styles, discipline equals control or strictness but in Gentle Parenting discipline equals freedom. How does discipline equal freedom? It might sound strange to some authoritarian or authoritative parents but discipline equals freedom in a way that empowers children to take control over their lives through regular training and habit development. However, in gentle parenting discipline is taught in a gentle way.
Setting boundaries by practicing Gentle Parenting
Parenting strategies should be gentle but age-appropriate. Sometimes setting the boundaries means removing the hazards around the child such as keeping electrical appliances away from a younger child. In the case of children who can understand you need to explain to them the consequences of an action.
How Gentle parenting is different from Permissive Parenting?
Some people perceive Gentle Parenting as permissive parenting. Parents exercising permissive parenting styles raise undisciplined and irresponsible kids. In a permissive parenting style, parents do not work with children for improving their lives and they do not get involved in whatever children are doing. Unlike the permissive parenting style, parents develop a strong parent-child connection with their children. Gentle parents use the power of empathy, love, connection, and communication for raising disciplined, happy, and healthy kids. The Gentle parenting style is about patience and kindness with children. Any adverse experience even with ‘good intentions causes harmful consequences for children.
Read more about Gentle Parenting Techniques.
What is the foundation of Gentle Parenting?
Gentle parenting is based on modern-day knowledge of child psychology, social psychology, and the latest research. Gentle parenting is an evidence-informed and very effective way of parenting. However, it is a new and emerging parenting style therefore people know very little about Gentle Parenting.
