A Nigerian woman has ignited debate on social media after criticizing what she believes is poor parenting being excused as “gentle parenting.”
In a video circulating online, she argued that some parents have become too lenient with their children, allowing bad behaviour to go unchecked while expecting others to tolerate it in public.
According to her, children who are old enough to understand instructions should be taught basic manners, including sitting quietly in public, greeting elders, respecting other people’s personal space, and responding appropriately when corrected.
She maintained that children who fail to exhibit such behaviour are simply “untrained” and urged parents to take responsibility for teaching discipline rather than dismissing misconduct under the banner of gentle parenting.
The woman further stated that parents who cannot manage their children’s behaviour should reconsider bringing them to social gatherings until they are better equipped to behave appropriately.
To support her argument, she recounted an incident at a salon where another customer’s child repeatedly touched her phone while the child’s mother allegedly made no effort to intervene or correct the behaviour.
She contrasted the experience with that of her two-year-old neighbour, whom she praised for being respectful and well-mannered. According to her, the toddler already greets adults politely and even kneels to greet, which she believes proves that good manners can be instilled from an early age.
Her comments have since generated mixed reactions online. While some social media users agreed that discipline and good manners should be taught early, others defended gentle parenting, arguing that it does not mean allowing children to behave without boundaries.
See the video below:
