There are so many different parenting styles out there. What works for one family might not work for another. But one parenting style that has gotten a lot of attention lately is gentle parenting. Being a gentle parent does not mean what one might think it means. In fact, it’s often misunderstood. These gentle parenting quotes are all great examples of what it means to be a gentle parent.
31 Parenting Quotes About Gentle Parenting
“Tantrums are not bad behavior. Tantrums are an expression of emotion that became too much for the child to bear. No punishment is required. What your child needs is compassion and safe, loving arms to unload in.”
Rebecca Eanes
Children have tantrums when they feel overwhelmed. Punishing them is not going to help them calm down. Being understanding will teach them that when they feel out of control, you can help them feel better – not make it worse.
“Gentle parenting does not mean perfect, it means kind, considerate, calm, empathetic, compassionate, understanding, forgiving. These qualities are not just for our children but for ourselves too.
Kristy Lee
You should talk to your children how you would want to be talked to, or how you would talk to another person who you love, with respect and kindness. This is the foundation of gentle parenting.
“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not join the chaos.”
L. R. Knost
Even adults struggle to understand and control their emotions, so how can we blame children for doing the same thing? Emotional intelligence is learned, so remaining calm when a child is struggling with their emotions is important in teaching them how to manage their own.
“Every day, in a hundred small ways, our children ask, ‘Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter?’ This behavior often reflects our response.” – L. R. Knost
Parents don’t realize that the majority of the questions their children ask, or the way that their children may act out, are all just different ways of seeking reassurance that they are loved and wanted.
Gentle parenting is a lifestyle, and committing to a lifestyle is a lifelong task that takes time and effort. Gentle parenting is about patience, kindness and respect.
“The nights are long but the years are short, so I’ll breathe in your beauty and exhale my love. I’ll treasure the moments you fall asleep to the rhythm of my beating heart, precious little one.”
Each night as a new parent seems as though it never ends. It’s long and exhausting, and frustrating. But before you know it, your baby will be grown and it will feel as if it just flew by.
“The point of parenting is not to have all the answers before we start out but instead to figure it out on the go as our children grow. Because as they do, so will we.”
Bridgett Miller
No one knows how to parent before becoming a parent. There’s no such thing as an experienced first time parent. Just as your child learns to be a child, you will learn to be a parent.
“The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.”
Peggy O’mara
Parents are the biggest influence in a child’s life. How you talk to them will affect them for the rest of their life. It will also teach them how to talk to themself, and what to think of themself.
“Connect before you correct a child, and whenever possible, redirect them instead.” -Suzanne Tucker
If you can find a way to connect with a child, they are going to hear and understand you more effectively when you go to correct them. Redirecting them will help them not to repeat the behavior in the future.
“Take the time to listen to your children. Believe what they tell you about themselves.”
Everything your child says is an honest truth to them. They don’t understand opinions and facts, or what’s important and what’s not. They only understand their own feelings and emotions. So take them to listen to them, because to them it’s important.
“Empathy not only matters; it is the foundation of effective parenting.”
Dr. John Gottman
Being empathetic is an essential life skill. If everyone could be empathetic, crime would drop, good deeds would increase, and everyone could love one another. Empathy should be demonstrated and taught at home so that we can create an empathetic generation.
“Parents who don’t really listen to their children tend to have children who really don’t listen to their parents.”
L. R. Knost
Respect goes both ways. If you give it you will receive it, whether it’s from your children or other adults in your life. Listening to your children will create children who listen.
“If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.”
Abigail Van Buren
Teaching children responsibility from a young age will help create a generation of responsible, respectful, and hardworking people. Parents must give their children a chance to be responsible in age-appropriate ways.
“Parents have two primary jobs when it comes to keeping their kids safe and making them feel safe. The first is to protect them from harm. The second is to avoid becoming the source of fear and threat.”
Parents want their children to feel safe with them. When they do something wrong, or say something they shouldn’t, they should feel that their parents are a safe place to confide in. If parents scare their children into obeying, they will never come forward about anything out of fear of getting in trouble and being punished.
“At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.”
Jane D. Hull
Parents play the most important role in a child’s life. More than friends, siblings, and other influences. If parents provide a safe place full of love and understanding, they will raise loving and understanding kids who make safe choices.
“When you put faith, hope, and love together, you can raise positive kids in a negative world.”
Zig Ziglar
Faith, hope, and love are all wonderful qualities. If more people had these qualities, the world would be a happier, safer place. All we can do is start raising the next generation to have them.
“As parents, it’s not our job to toughen up our children to face a cruel and heartless world. It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”
L. R. Knost
We often think we have to prepare our children for the evil in the world. And while that is true to an extent, it can’t overpower the need for teaching our children to focus on making the world a better place.
“Pushing children into something when they’re not ready, only pushes them away. Let them know that waiting and observing is an option. Doing something when they are comfortable and ready is perfectly acceptable. It develops self-awareness and self-respect.”
Kristy Lee
If a child feels the freedom to choose, they are more likely to try new things. If they feel pushed into things, they will naturally push away. Choice leads to confidence in themself.
“The world has become too obsessed with finding ways to make babies entertained, settle themselves, sleep longer, and sleep alone. Nothing can truly replace the connection and affection of a human being.”
Kristy Lee
Babies are absolutely designed to be completely dependent on another human being. They need that human connection and love to grow. It might seem overwhelming in the moment or phase that they are in, but the amount of time that they spend as a baby is so short, and you will absolutely miss it.
“Speak with your children as if they are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become.”
Brooke Hampton
A child’s opinion of themself is so important! And parents play a vital role in helping their children shape that opinion. Teach them that they are important, smart, and kind, and they will believe it.
“If you can help a child, you don’t have to spend years repairing an adult.”
It’s every parent’s responsibility to help their children become the best person they can be. When this doesn’t happen, there are adults who will struggle and need the help they didn’t receive as a child.
“The moment you begin to actively discover the amazing personhood of your child, parenting starts to feel like less of a burden and more of an adventure.”
Angela Pruess
As you watch your child grow into their own little person with their own thoughts and personality, parenting becomes more and more bittersweet. Parenting is absolutely an adventure, full of ups and downs and loop de loops.
“Gentle parenting is not passive parenting. There is nothing passive about being conscious, responsive, understanding, patient, respectful, and present.”
Kristy Lee
People often confuse gentle parenting with passive parenting. Gentle parenting isn’t a lack of discipline. In fact, it often has more discipline. Discipline just isn’t physical or emotional punishment.
“Things may seem really crazy and hard with your kids right now, but someday you’re going to miss this!”
Amy Stasney
There’s a reason that every parent tells you, “Enjoy it while it lasts because you’re going to miss this.” It’s because you will! You will miss your baby wanting to cuddle you to sleep or coming to you when they need comfort or connection.
“I think the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to experience life on their own terms… let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves.”
Children won’t be little forever, and if we treat them as if they will – we will be doing a disservice. The best thing we can do for our children is teach them the skills needed to be a healthy, happy adult.
“Children don’t say, ‘I had a hard day, can we talk?’ They say, ‘Will you play with me?’
Lawrence Cohen
Children are not experts at expressing their emotions and feelings. It’s up to us to figure out what they need. And a lot of the time, all they need is some love and attention.
“If I expect my children to be kind, gentle, compassionate, and respectful, I must be kind, gentle, compassionate, and respectful. Children do not listen to the instruction of hypocrites; it is your actions that guide their actions, not your lectures or punishment.”
Rebecca Eanes
Children learn by observation. They will naturally repeat behaviors that they see. So all of the characteristics we wish for our children to have, we must first demonstrate them.
“By loving them for more than their abilities we show our children that they are much more than the sum of their accomplishments.”
Eileen Kennedy-Moore
While it’s important for us to praise our children for their abilities, it’s essential that we also make sure they know they know we would love them just the same if they didn’t have those abilites. You love them for them, not their accomplishments.
“We must remember that one day our children are going to follow our example instead of our advice.”
Carolina King
Children learn by imitation. They are going to learn much more from what we do than what we say. So anything you want them to do, you must demonstrate first.
“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.”
O. A. Battista
No amount of money, toys, vacations or material items will have a greater impact on a child than spending time with them will. Time and attention will create happy, healthy children.
“Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”
Children will learn much more from what they see, not what they hear. So parents have to demonstrate what they want their child to do, not just tell them.
We hope you enjoyed these quotes about gentle parenting and received a good understanding of positive parenting and what it means to be a gentle parent. In the end, what matters is that we teach our children to be good human beings and treat others the way they want to be treated. That’s all we can ask for.
Kayla is the content creator over at motviationformom.com. She is a wife and mother who loves to share all of the tips, tricks, and life lessons that she has learned over the years with all of her readers. Her primary focus is on children’s education, motherhood, and healthy family relationships!
