Modern 'gentle parenting' has devolved into a permissive system that lacks leadership.
By prioritizing consensus over command, parents are creating a "power vacuum" that leads to increased child anxiety and parental burnout. Validating feelings while a child is breaking rules teaches them that emotions are an excuse for poor behavior.
Empathy is Not Permission
Empathy without boundaries is permission to spiral. Children don't need "besties"; they need leaders. Treating a toddler like a peer in a boardroom is a system surrender.
Parenting as Marketing
Parenting is marketing Reality to a new human. If the marketing is soft, the product�the child's character�will be weak.