Gentle Parenting Is Not Letting Your Child Do Whatever They Want

Hello MindFull Readers,

Most of us have heard these terms tossed around, but they’re often misunderstood, especially in online spaces. So let’s take a moment to gently unravel the real difference between being permissive and being truly gentle.

Gentle parenting is not:

🚫 Letting your child do whatever they want

🚫 Avoiding conflict just to “keep the peace”

🚫 Being “nice” at the expense of your own needs

🚫 Saying “yes” out of fear of a meltdown

Gentle parenting is:

🌱 Holding boundaries with empathy

🌱 Teaching emotional regulation through co-regulation

🌱 Modelling respectful communication

🌱 Creating safety without losing structure

Many of us were raised to believe that children who speak up are “rude” and that belief quietly shaped our self-worth.

Now, as parents, we sometimes hesitate. We want confident kids, but we fear raising disrespectful ones.

These are respectful nos. These are the seeds of self-trust. And this, too, is gentle parenting.

What’s one thing you wish you were allowed to say ‘no’ to as a child? 🩵

With warmth and mindfulness,

Michelle Lim | Reparenting Coach

I help you break free from generational trauma and nurture a new cycle of emotional safety by reparenting your inner child.

P.S. Ready to explore whether reparenting coaching is right for you?

Book a free 30-minute Healing & Growth Call, no pressure, just a heart-to-heart:

👉 Schedule here 🩵

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