break the cycle

she not strict like other parents and she terrified its ruining her kids she watches families with rules and certainty children who listen the first time parents who never seem to doubt themselves then she looks at her own children they ask why they negotiate they test every boundary she sets and the question rises again am I to soft am I giving them to much freedom and not enough structure she explains instead of commands ask instead of demands repairs instead of punishing from the outside it looks like weakness but she isn't unsure about her values she's unsure whether doing it gently still counts as real parenting it does parents who question themselves haven't failed there still paying attention and learning her children aren't spoiled they aren't afraid of her that was always the point break the cycle