A mother of four has sparked a debate as she opened up about her “gentle parenting” and revealed her kids will always be welcome to sleep in her bed.
30-year-old Kail Britt from Ontario, Canada, is a mother to four children ranging from 2 to 13 years old whom she raises using the gentle parenting method after growing tired of “other people’s narratives of parenting.”
As the mother explained, she doesn’t force her children to hug or kiss them and doesn’t do ‘baby talking’ in front of them. She also allows them to take school days off when they need time for themselves while ensuring they get to wear what they want.
“I used to follow other people’s narratives of parenting. Now I’ve been a gentle parenting for a couple of years. There is no such thing as a perfect parent but I’m the best I can be,” she said.
Explaining her unconventional parenting methods, she continued: “I don’t do baby talk. I talk to them as regular humans and talk about deeper feelings with them. I still talk to them age appropriately but I find baby talk a bit condescending. I guide them, I don’t control them.
“I used to plan their outfits but now they wear what they want. I let them have mental health days but they don’t misuse them. They can take day off without faking a fever – I’ll just check they are up to date with work and don’t have a test that day. By being a gentle parent I let my kids be proud of themselves.”
To make sure her kids understand that adults, too, are sometimes wrong, Kail also apologized to her children when she makes a mistake.
“I will apologize to them to show adults make mistakes too. I have grown up time outs where I will go to the bathroom and take a breather. I have affirmations in there I will repeat to myself,” she added.
“With my kids we do ‘time ins’ so once the emotions have calmed down we will sit down together and talk about what happened.”
Sparking a debate on social media, the mother-of-four explained that her kids are never forced to hug her or talk to anyone they don’t want to talk to. She also refuses to force them to attend family gatherings.
“I didn’t believe I was a good mother for a long time. Now I believe I am. But there’s always room for improvement. My children are loved and feel safe and they know their worth,” the mother concluded.
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