A Teen Said “You Had A Hard Day, I Can Load The Dishwasher.” It Sparked A Debate On “Soft” Parenting

“I am raising soft kids. I’m aware I occasionally do too much coddling. But I was rarely coddled. I grew up in a codependent home where the matriarch always got what she wanted, and my feelings didn’t matter. The female elders were always the priority. I lived in fight-or-flight mode for the first 30-some years of my life. It’s taken over 20 years of therapy to undo all the toxicity I learned from my family.”

“So yes, I’m raising kids who listen to their bodies. Yes, I’m raising kids who are in tune with their emotions and ask for mental health days. I’m also raising kids who will make compassionate and kind partners, ones that will listen, hold their partners, and care for them when they’re done.”