The concept of a “gentle” parent is fairly new to this past decade and refers to a parent that tries to emotionally connect with their child and try to understand the etymology behind their child’s behavior. The overarching theme of a gentle parent is that they do not scold or condemn their child immediately, and try to first validate their child’s feelings. When a parent shows an understanding of a child’s emotions, they are essentially trying to get the child to calm down without having to escalate the situation. This approach helps children be able to identify their own emotions and promotes emotional intelligence for the future. Higher emotional intelligence is associated with fewer emotional problems and higher school attainment. This was supported by a research study conducted that showed that mothers who responded sensitively to their children in the first three years of life led to them building better academic and social skills by the age of fifteen. 

In addition to validation and sensitivity, parents need to learn to set boundaries, and children need to learn to follow them. If limits are set in a calm manner, children will learn to treat the situation just the same. Another main concern of misbehavior and negative feelings stems from the inattentiveness of the parents. If parents pay more attention to their children and create a continuous positive environment, children will soon reflect that. In conclusion, gentle parenting needs time and positivity from both the parent and child in order to further promote the relationship and the skills of both parties.  

Article link: https://theconversation.com/what-is-gentle-parenting-an-expert-explains-184282

Tulsi Patel

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

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