There are so many tips, tricks and techniques when it comes to parenting, sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. It’s always important to find a style and approach that suits your natural personality and lifestyle. This is why the gentle parenting technique is so popular. As it is based on mutual respect between parents and children, and the development of important skills such as empathy and kindness, it doesn’t need to take up loads of extra time to practice. However, when you do it well, the rewards can be noticeable for your children and your family as a whole. Check out three key features of the gentle parenting approach below.
Don’t Shout
Tiredness, stress and illness can all contribute to make us feel like we’re at the end of our tether. When this happens, shouting and screaming at family members can feel inevitable. However, all members of a family should make a real effort to avoid this whenever possible. It can lead to insecure attachments, and develop a sense of resentment or even fear. Instead, calmly explain to your child why something they’ve done might leave you feeling frustrated. By modelling this response, they will become calmer and more measured in the way they interact with you and others over time.
Talk About Respect
For lots of kids, when adults use words they don’t fully understand it can get confusing. Talk about what respect means to you, and explain how you demonstrate it to others. This will give your child a workable example of the kind of behaviours you are trying to encourage in them, so they will have something to work towards.
Listen Well
One of the most important elements of gentle parenting is to ensure that you demonstrate that you are listening to your kids. If your children know that you will take what they say seriously, they are more likely to engage in a relationship with you that’s based on mutual respect and empathy. Ask them how their day at school has been, empathize if something has gone wrong, and demonstrate that you are prepared to act if they tell you something is wrong.