Season 2, Episode 9: Gentle Parenting is Revolutionary Parenting

If you want to raise free black children into adults who can stand in their own birthright as humans worthy of love, you have to operate from the grounding principle: Love Does Not Abuse.

Gentle Parenting is the 'new' trend in parenting techniques. In Episode 9, I share ideals researched and popularized by bell hooks nearly 30 years ago. Her ideals expound on the Kingian idea that to build the beloved community we must eradicate militarism.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was both a theologian and philosopher. His theories on building the beloved community through nonviolence is an entire curriculum worth of study and discussion. I share more of Dr. King's theory in Season 1, Episode 31.

Episode 9 of Season 2, I dive deeper in the ways in which we have internalized militarism, especially as it relates to parenting. Gentle Parenting, at it's core, eliminates domination as a primary parenting principle. A parent’s assertive superiority rejects a child’s autonomy and even fails to recognize their rights. Hence, coercive measures in parenting become detrimental to a child’s growth. Therefore, domination in parenting counters a child’s rights.

So by it's very nature Gentle Parenting is feminist, anti-white supremacy, and when done right will in fact smash the patriarchy.  For more information on bell hooks' ideas please see the following resources:

https://feminisminindia.com/2021/09/16/the-parenting-philosophy-of-bell-hooks-there-is-no-love-without-justice/?amp

https://rlstollar.com/2020/12/06/love-does-not-abuse-the-parenting-philosophy-of-bell-hooks/?fbclid=IwAR04dDTuvxt_DnH2GdYotBHXefEmkwtn7dd9WceBrqM4yVgx6zYstYTejxs

What is Gentle Parenting