Are you a Cool Mom or a Tiger
Mom? Do you prefer Permissive Parenting or Strict parenting?
After
you lay eyes on your bundle of joy, you let out a silent scream of relief or in
my case a not so silent one, and then many of us vow to be the coolest parent ever.
So the
baby and you are having a whale of a time. You indulge his every whim and
fancy. The baby is happy, you are happy. It’s all good...And then society
happens!!
You come
to realize that unrestricted freedom and general permissiveness leads to chaotic
consequences. You question your parenting abilities and realise that it’s time
to shift your parenting approach.
Now you go to the other side of the spectrum where you make
too many rules, you make over the top threats, and you constantly nag and
monitor. Basically end up being a Mom-ster and you end up guilt-ridden.
This
roller coaster ride leads you to the question to
be strict or not to be strict. Many a parent has agonized over this for
centuries, and have realised after many trials and tribulations that there
aren’t any hard and fast rules.
The key lies in finding a balance between permissive
parenting and strict parenting. The
endeavour should be to create a comfortable, adventurous yet controlled
surrounding for children in order for them to flourish.
It is true that parents are a “work in progress”. I firmly
believe Ed Asner when he says “Raising
kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare.”
