Mom on TikTok Tries Gentle vs Stern Parenting and Sparks Huge Parenting Controversy

Parenting has always been a huge topic of discussion—there are books on it, conferences, podcasts, movies, etc. Parents are always trying to learn the best way to raise their children and there is nothing wrong with that. Every good parent finds their own parenting technique that works for them and try their best at it. However, some parenting techniques can be extremely opposite, causing tension between the different parents who practice them. That's why when a mom on TikTok posted a video of her shouting at her daughter and saying the “gentle parenting” doesn't work, tensions started running high in the comment section.

Gentle parenting is one of those techniques that some parents live by. It's an evidence-based approach that works around “empathy, respect, understanding, and boundaries.” Its main focus is to use compassion to enforce boundaries and rules. For some parents, this technique is a game changer and works beautifully—however, it takes a lot of work and patients to put into action.  For other parents, the gentle parenting technique is not for them, and that's fine. Again, parenting is different for everyone. As long as your babies are happy, healthy, and safe, then do whatever parenting technique works for you. 

“Gentle parenting my a** 🖕🏾”

However, when Niche Williams aka @queennichee posted on TikTok a video of her criticizing the gentle parenting technique, a debate within the comment section started to erupt. The video showed Williams softly asking her 2-year-old daughter to put her purse back. She asked several times and then switched to asking her in a more stern voice at a much higher frequency, which instantly got the 2-year-old to do as she was told. 

The comment section exploded with confrontation. Many were appalled that Williams shouted at her daughter, condemning her for using fear as a technique for respect. Other viewers came to her side and agreed that gentle parenting isn't for everyone and that sometimes, you just have to yell. What really pulled Williams into the debate, however, were the comments accusing her of not being a good mother. 

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Williams has a newborn baby along with her 2-year-old daughter, so getting overwhelmed is basically a daily task. The mother of two stands by what she says about her parenting and explains that she is a very good mother. Many of her viewers come to her side praising her and attacking the commenters who judge her mothering. 

“Those people commenting hate don’t have kids,” one commenter said. “Having kids can break you sometimes.You are a great momma. Everyone gets overwhelmed, i'f they don't they don't have kids or they forgot how hard it can be,” another commenter adds. 

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Video Response Part 2 (with Husband):

Her husband even joins in on the conversation to defend the mother of his children. “Some of y'all have been disrespectful,” he says in the video. “First off, there ain't no handbook on parenting… There's definitely a wrong way, but she definitely ain't doing it the wrong way.” Other viewers add in the comments that as a parent, you know your kids best, so don't let outsiders try to bring you down as a mother or father. 

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Comment Reply 5 (final thoughts):

Through all of this heated viralness, Williams and her husband convey they are very secure as parents. Yes, they are constantly learning new things, but they're not going to let the hatred from some TikTok viewers bring them down. The comment section never truly reached a peaceful agreement on the debate of gentle parenting. It is evident now, however, that there is a huge parenting community on TikTok that'll always have the backs of loving parents.