Perhaps you do not think of yourself as a gentle person by nature; I know that I don’t. If I were asked to describe myself in a dozen words–or even fifty words, I would probably not choose the word “gentle” as one of my personal adjectives. Even if you are more rambunctious, jovial, and outgoing as a person, you can still tap into gentleness in your parenting…
Think of it this way, what happens when you reach down to pick up a tiny kitten, or a brand new baby for that matter? Chances are you become a very gentle person. We all have it in us, even the most gruff and rambunctious person can tone things down and be soft and gentle with a tiny baby or a helpless animal. As our children get older, we may think those gentleness days are gone but by accessing the gentle parts of our personalities and using gentleness in our parenting, we can convey love, tact, empathy, and caring to our children and you might be surprised how they are more likely to listen and respond when you are being gentle and considerate than when you are ranting and raving.
Think of gentleness not as being meek or weak, but of having a mellow and moderate approach and demeanor. There are times when being mild and gentle is truly called for and the gentleness we use in interacting with our children can be just what the occasion calls for. Lower your voice, slow down your body movements, get down on the same level as your child, take things easy and banish the excitability. For those of us who tend to use humor and silliness to diffuse situations, we need to acknowledge that there are times when a kinder, gentler demeanor is needed.
Also: Developing Positive Traits
Learning How to Share Bad News with Your Child