Many people discuss the children cartoon Bluey online and rage about how that is the epitome of gentle parenting, parents don’t yell, don’t punish and all they do is play with the children and have all the free time to do so!
Well, for the sake of appearances and audiences, this is what kids want from a show. So, guys, I am not in any form criticizing the good lessons our kids can learn from this show, or how it can be wonderful to think this is the parenting utopia we want to be able to achieve, for entertainment’s sake, it’s a good show.
But is this what parents want? We want a low stimulating show, but what do we want that show to teach the children? Good lessons. And they are good at that from a general view.
From what I saw, it teaches the children parents will always say yes, they will never have consequences for what they do and that they will drop everything to play with them and children love it!
Now, we all want to be able to be the Bluey parents, but how realistic is this parenting style? Is this what gentle parenting is? Stick around and let me talk to you about the parenting, not the show itself.
Gentle parenting is not a style, let me clarify that for you, it is an approach to a style of parenting.
What kind of parenting is Bluey based on? Well, to answer that, I need to show you the four parenting styles there are.
Authoritarian Parenting Style
This parenting style is frequently characterized as authoritarian and controlling. Parents who adopt this approach often respond to inquiries with, “Because I said so!” and expect unquestioning compliance without providing any rationale. The rules are rigid, allowing no flexibility, negotiation, or discussion. Consequences for breaking these rules tend to be harsh. In such environments, children seldom have a voice in their own decisions and are expected to follow orders without hesitation.
Punishments are commonly employed to enforce obedience, and expressions of affection are limited, if present at all. This method can lead to harmful effects on a child’s development that may persist into adulthood.
– A tendency to adopt a “follower” mindset, making it hard for these children to make independent choices
– Challenges in understanding right from wrong on their own – Low self-esteem, often relying on external validation for their self-worth
Moreover, authoritarian parenting seems to fail in teaching enduring lessons; once the parent is out of sight, the child may misbehave and often looks for guidance from sources other than their parent.
Authoritative Parenting Style
Not to be mistaken with Authoritarian Parenting Style.
In this approach to parenting, caregivers exhibit nurturing, responsive, and supportive behaviors while also establishing clear boundaries for their children. They seek to guide children’s conduct by articulating rules, engaging in discussions, and employing reasoning. While they consider a child’s perspective, they do not always acquiesce to it.
Children brought up in this manner typically display traits such as friendliness, energy, cheerfulness, self-reliance, self-control, curiosity, cooperation, and a strong orientation towards achievement.
Permissive Parenting Style
In this approach to parenting, parents are nurturing but tend to be quite lenient. They often do not establish clear boundaries, keep a close eye on their children’s activities, or expect their kids to behave in a mature manner.
As a result, children brought up in this environment may display impulsive behavior, defiance, a lack of direction, a tendency to dominate, aggression, and struggle with self-reliance, self-control, and achieving their goals.
Uninvolved Parenting Style
In this approach to parenting, caregivers exhibit a lack of responsiveness, availability, and often display rejection towards their children.
As a result, children brought up in such an environment frequently struggle with low self-esteem and diminished self-confidence, often turning to alternative, and at times unsuitable, role models to fill the void left by their neglectful parents.
What is the Gentle Parenting Approach
Gentle parenting is a nurturing approach to raising children that emphasizes connection, empathy, respect, validation, and positive discipline. It focuses on creating a safe and supportive environment that addresses children’s emotional needs, while also establishing clear and consistent boundaries.
This method encourages parents to be mindful of the behaviors they exhibit, promotes compassion, embraces emotions, and recognizes the child as a whole, capable individual.
In gentle parenting, it’s important to acknowledge and validate our children’s feelings, including the difficult ones. This practice helps them feel understood and supported, strengthening the bond of secure attachment.
Positive discipline techniques are a key component of gentle parenting, emphasizing encouragement, problem-solving, positive reinforcement, and teaching essential life skills.
It’s important to note that gentle parenting is not the same as being permissive. It involves setting clear and consistent boundaries while allowing children to make age-appropriate choices within those limits.
This approach nurtures a sense of autonomy and helps children learn to make responsible decisions.
At the heart of gentle parenting is the goal of building a strong and positive connection with our children. This connection fosters open communication, builds trust, and creates a safe environment for children to express their emotions.
Now, Gentle Parents, What Parenting Style Are You Using?
Well, believe it or not, you are using the Authoritative Parenting style, and you approach this style with gentle parenting, you don’t yell, nor do you punish your child, you teach them about consequences in an age and emotional appropriate way, while acknowledging their feelings as valid and teaching them how to deal with them.
So What is Bluey Parent Style?
Well, Bluey is using the gentle parent approach while being Permissive. They just allow the children to do anything they want and center everything in the children wants at the moment.
That is why we love the show but do not identify with it as parents, because we enforce boundaries and in Permissive styles of parenting, there are none. There is why it is so difficult for us, as parents, to explain to our children that we do have work, and we do have to say no sometimes, although we do offer alternatives, we feel like we are failing.
But we are not.
This cartoon is not to make you feel like a failure, it is just that, a cartoon, an imaginary world made for children to love and devour each episode, hence being the target audience who feeds another season getting renewed, the creators will not change the core of the show because it sells, even if it’s selling the wrong idea.
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