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Gentle parenting
Parenting styles differ, and it is not an easy task to take care of a young child and be responsible for both their wellbeing, development, and learning. A lot of research has been done in this area to come up with possible solutions that help both the parent and the child in having a good experience. Gentle parenting is a widely used technique that mainly focuses on helping the child make choices based on their thoughts and needs rather than on external pressures. This style of parenting emphasizes developing a bond between the parent and the child based on the child’s preferences and choices instead of rules set by parents. This helps children become resilient, confident, and happy, which will help them in their future adult lives.
Discipline and gentle parenting
It is quite easy to confuse gentle parenting with permissive parenting. Both these schools of thought are not the same. While gentle parenting utilizes the child’s inherent ability to make the right choice, permissive parenting is giving in to the demands of the child irrespective of whether they are right or wrong. Gentle parenting requires parents to convey and hold boundaries even if this is not what the child wants. Parents shall not punish the child, shame them, or be physical with them as a means of discipline. Instead, gentle parenting emphasized having clear and reasonable boundaries set together with the child.
Benefits of gentle parenting
Parenting can be emotionally draining. It is also one of the most undermined jobs out there. One thing that makes it all worthwhile is the realization that we can raise strong, kind-hearted individuals who have empathy for the world. Some of the most evident benefits of gentle parenting are:
Gentle parenting is found to make parents happier and comparatively less stressed.
It helps improve a child’s self-worth and confidence.
With better emotional regulation in parents, children tend to be able to self-regulate easily.
Children are found to be more independent.
Children also tend to be more empathetic and social.
For the approach of gentle parenting to be successful, the child needs to be in a preschool environment that follows that same approach. Early childhood education that incorporates play-based learning techniques is a good fit to ingrain significant life skills in a child without overwhelming them. Educators in most international kindergartens are trained in and follow a gentle approach while dealing with their students to ensure the young minds see and adopt the right attitude in life.