The controversy of gentle parenting on TikTok, explained
What's the story
"Gentle parenting," also referred to as respectful or mindful parenting, has become a major sensation on TikTok, garnering billions of views.
This parenting style has sparked intense controversy within the online community.
As videos showcasing gentle parenting techniques gain enormous popularity, debates have ignited about its effectiveness, potential long-term consequences, and clash with traditional parenting approaches.
Let's unpack the hype surrounding this parenting style.
Viral
Gentle parenting has become a huge sensation on TikTok
If you take a look at TikTok, you will find millions of people following the #gentleparenting hashtag.
Influencers are sharing tips and advice on this non-traditional way of raising children.
These gentle parenting videos have already been watched over 3.7 billion times on TikTok, and the numbers keep increasing.
The trend has also spread to Instagram, with over 810,000 posts, and numerous likes.
Gentle parenting
It focuses on treating children with kindness, understanding, and consideration
Gentle parenting is like being a supportive coach to your child instead of a strict authority figure.
It is about focusing on positivity and understanding.
You try to empathize with your child's behavior, respect their feelings, and offer choices rather than giving orders.
You tailor your responses to their age and development, aiming to create a nurturing environment where they can grow and flourish.
Origin
How did it all start?
A TikTok video went viral which shows a little boy accidentally spilling iced coffee on a shelf inside the house.
Rather than getting mad at him, his mom does something unexpected.
She talks to him calmly, trying to understand what happened, and even gives him more iced coffee.
This has made people wonder why she didn't yell at or punish him for his mistake.
Quote
Is it the toddler's or parents' fault?
"Is it really a toddler's fault who has zero impulse control at this age, or is it the parents' fault for leaving the coffee accessible in the first place?" asked the creator, who goes by "Laura Love" on TikTok.
Trend
Like Laura, countless parents on TikTok are adopting this method
Like Laura, many other parents on TikTok are using this technique of parenting and sharing their experiences with it.
Bringing cameras into their households, popular TikTok parents are on a mission to dismantle stereotypes about gentle parenting.
By sharing their everyday lives, they aim to prove that this approach is not weak, permissive, or exclusive to certain parents' backgrounds or lifestyles.
Criticism
However, as their popularity grows, they also face criticism
Some people feel that it sets a standard of "perfect parenting" that is impossible to achieve.
This can make working parents feel inadequate when they struggle to control their anger.
Others say that this trend mostly features white women and excludes fathers and people of color.
Some also think that gentle parenting allows children to misbehave, leading to a lack of control in households.