Gentle parenting style
What Is Gentle Parenting?
Gentle parenting is a method of parenting where an evidence-based approach to raising a happy, confident, independent child. It’s about recognizing your child as an individual and responding to their needs.
Connection, consistency, communication are the three Cs. These are considered as the tools of gentle parenting. This parenting style is consists of four main elements:
1. Boundaries
2. Empathy
3. Respect
4. Understanding
BOUNDARIES :
Setting the bottom lines about what is acceptable and what is not is known as Boundaries. It is hard if they agreed with everyone. Boundaries make the child feel safe. They know what to expect and what’s expected of them. It also encourages children to think about others and things around them.
EMPATHY :
Empathy is the ability to understand and respect everyone's perspective. There’s a reason your child is behaving in a certain way. So carefully listen to what they talk about and acknowledge them. Empathy is very important because it can help to build regulate emotion, connection and promote helping the children's behaviours.
RESPECT :
Respect is showing appreciation for what is good in people. It is sharing, caring and thoughtful with other people. Children deserve respect. When children are respected they succeed in life. It helps them to feel safe and to express themselves. Without respect, children can't value themselves or others.
UNDERSTANDING :
Parents should keenly listen and understand what their children say. They should not impose their thoughts and values on their little kids. Parents are there to guide their children, not command them. Adults are happy when they heard and understand. The child expects the same.
A child is a person who carries complex feelings just like adults. They get frustrated, frightened, worried, angry, excited, nervous, sad, jealous and embarrassed. Parents need to help children to understand those emotions, patiently.
ONE GENERATION OF DEEPLY LOVING PARENTS WOULD CHANGE THE BRAIN OF THE NEXT GENERATION, AND WITH THAT, THE WORLD.
- Charles Raison
ADULTHOOD vs CHILDHOOD:
When as adults, we feel anger and express it in many ways even through our bodies. Our voices go up, we raise our hands, we shout, we slam doors, we feel like throwing things, we walk outside from that scene. But as children, when they feel anger. We expect them to sit silently and smile. Is that fair?
Absolutely NO. Before stopping them, let's understand what lies behind their behaviour and help them out. If we adults raise our kids, harshly. In future, they become adults with harsh behaviours. So as adults, we want to spread love and kindness everywhere.
Let's remember, children's logical brain will develop still at the age of seven and they do not have a lot of impulses to control their behaviour. So they behave the way their body tells them.
Children have their inner voices like adults. Giving them space would strengthen their inner moral compass. Adults should believe that children are amazing, perfect people 'The way they are.
