To share or not to share is the question. For parents, it seems like the moment our child is born, we are sharing everything with them. From space on the couch to the water in our cups, they want a little bit of everything. Yes, sharing is a part of life, and sacrifice is a mom's middle name, but when is enough enough?
Rachel Gibbs, who posts on TikTok as @rachonlife, considers herself a gentle parent and a believer in firm boundaries. She was filming a video of herself making lunch when her son jumped in, wanting her to share. She told him no, and her decision had people talking.
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Gentle parenting doesn't mean coddling.
Just because you aren't yelling and screaming doesn't mean that your kids don't understand that you are the boss and what you say goes. For Gibbs, that meant telling her son, Sam, that she was making her own lunch and he wasn't going to have any of it.
"This is your reminder that you're allowed to have boundaries when it comes to your food with your children," Gibbs explains in the TikTok. "I am making myself — no baby, this is Mommy's lunch. You just ate lunch. You may not have mine — I am not interested in sharing."
But Sam wasn't interested in giving up.
He persisted with his mom, who explained to him again that he had already eaten and that it was her turn. She told him that he could help himself to something to eat.
"Why don't you go in the pantry and pick yourself a snack? Or you can get a cheese stick out of the fridge," she suggested.
Gibbs told her son that she understood his frustration, but if he wanted something to eat, he had to figure it out.
She tells the camera, "This is gentle parenting, by the way. I'm not coddling him, I'm being gentle with him. It's not super complex."
Most people loved her parenting style.
Those who like a more gentle approach loved this video.
"This is what gentle parenting is thank you for showing this," someone wrote.
And there was lots of praise. Like this comment: "Love this! Validating their feelings, offering choices for what is available, while holding your demand! Great job!"
Her words made some people laugh.
The delivery was gold and something we've all felt.
"'I am not interested in sharing' idk why that made me laugh haha," a follower commented.
"'I'm very sad' 'ok, go grab a cheese stick' tell me why I laughed out loud," another person agreed.
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Other parents finally felt seen.
Like this mom whose husband doesn't seem to get it: "100% my husband says 'just share with them it won't hurt' I always tell him I share 99% of me, my time, my drinks, my food. If I say no it's no. Idc. Most the time they had that same thing already!"
"THANK YOU some of my mom friends think I'm a monster for not sharing every single thing with my kid," one mom wrote. "Why should I? Their needs are met, I need to meet mine."
