There’s a massive difference between supporting your child through big emotions and allowing public tantrums without consequence.
The current gentle parenting narrative suggests you should just “sit with your child’s feelings” no matter where they’re screaming or what boundaries they’re crossing. That your discomfort with their cereal aisle meltdown is just your own childhood trauma surfacing.
But here’s what’s getting lost: teaching children there’s a time and place for certain behaviors isn’t oppression – it’s preparation for life in society.
Just as potty training isn’t “oppressing their freedom to poop anywhere,” removing a screaming child from a restaurant isn’t “emotional suppression.” It’s teaching them that other humans matter too.
Yes, take a breath before reacting. Yes, understand the feelings behind the behavior. But also hold the line that certain spaces require certain behaviors – and if they can’t maintain those standards, they need to be removed until they can.
That boundary isn’t trauma. It’s actually one of the most important gifts our parents gave us. ✨