As a parent, you must have heard of the parenting style called gentle parenting. However, do you understand its effects and what it means to praticise this kind of parenting style?
Can you consciously affirm that you have been practising gentle parenting? Moreso, understanding the effects that come with embracing this parenting style in your household?
Follow this article till the end to learn the effects of the gentle parenting style and how it will impact your life as a parent in raising your child right.
READ: The Different Stages of the Human Brain Development
Meaning of Gentle Parenting
Gentle parenting is a parenting style that emphasises connection, empathy, respect, validation, and constructive discipline. It emphasises the need to create a safe, nurturing atmosphere that supports the emotional needs of children while also setting clear and consistent boundaries.
Effects of Gentle Parenting
It builds empathy and validation
As a parent, when talking to your kids, it’s important to acknowledge their feelings, including the negative ones.
According to a publication by Bowlby (1982) and Sanders & Mazzuchelli (2017), doing this helps them feel understood and supported, and nurtures a secure attachment bond.
It reinforces positive discipline
Gentle parenting uses positive discipline techniques that emphasize encouragement, problem-solving, positive reinforcement, and teaching children valuable life skills (Nelsen, 2012; Eanes, 2012).
This approach is opposed to inflicting pain and leaving negative impressions on children’s minds, which can lead to increased frustration, sadness, and guilt.
It creates clear boundaries with choices
Gentle parenting does not imply permissiveness. Thus, it entails establishing clear and consistent boundaries while providing children with age-appropriate options within those constraints. This promotes autonomy and teaches kids to make appropriate decisions (Grady, 2019).
It builds strong bonds and connection
Gentle parenting is founded on developing a solid and healthy relationship with our kids.
Therefore, open communication, trust, and a secure space are all facilitated by this connection, which gives kids the confidence to communicate their ideas and feelings without fear of being prejudged (Siegel & Bryson, 2011; Sanvictores & Mendez, 2022).
Why it is hard for you to adopt gentle parenting
In actuality, this parenting approach requires a great deal of patience on the side of the parent.
One of the unique challenges it presents is accepting, that your reality differs from that of your child’s.
Therefore, you are looking to rewire how you think about raising your kids, and the way you handle conflict and expectations – which is a very tough task for many parents to do.
Law 101 of gentle parenting is to unlearn and relearn! Or, catch yourself before you act!
This is because this parenting style requires you to be actively involved in assisting your child in questioning, analysing, and processing their behaviour.
You do this rather than taking over for them or attempting to force them to embrace the parenting style you grew up with.
READ: Handwriting and Typewriting: Its Importance for Children
Conclusion
To successfully embrace gentle parenting, you must be willing to unlearn a lot of behaviour and establish acceptable boundaries with your children.
Therefore, recognising the triggers that set off your child’s negative behaviour is critical in this parenting style.
Consequently, we recommend that all parents learn to be patient when dealing with their children.
If you are having difficulty implementing this parenting style in your household, you can seek guidance from child support companies like ParentalPal.
