I’m a nanny and I’m at the end of my tether… a particular type of parenting makes me want to quit my job

A NANNY has revealed that she is at the end of her tether and wants to quit her job, due to a particular type of parenting.

The child care worker said that since the pandemic, she has experienced some of the "worst behaviour" from children, and blames a certain type of parenting.

Taking to Mumsnet, the nanny ranted: "I am truly at the end of my tether with the newest generation of children.

"Since Covid I have encountered some of the worst behaviour, rudeness and complete lack of boundaries from children.

"Gentle parenting seems to have been misconstrued as an absence of parenting.

"Parents are trying to justify kids' behaviour with a big focus on their feelings.

"I’m sick of parents using ‘they’re tired, they’ve had a long day, they had a busy weekend’ to justify their children hitting me, shouting at me and throwing tantrums."

Gentle parenting is an approach that encourages a partnership between children and their parents to make decisions together based on internal willingness instead of external pressures.

So instead of being punished for bad behaviour, children are encouraged to reflect on why what they did was wrong or why doing a certain thing is beneficial for them.

The method is popular with many modern parents, although some people, such as the nanny, have argued that it excuses bad behaviour form children.

The rant continued: "I'm noticing more children incapable of imaginative play because working parents have guilt and overcompensate so much with toys that children are overwhelmed and don’t even know how to play properly without waiting for the next shiny new thing.

"I'm exhausted going to work every day desperately trying to explain boundaries and routines to these children, only to have their parents undo all my work.

Gentle parenting is making me want to end a 15 year long career with children because all I am experiencing is children who cannot handle any emotions.

"The worst thing is, it’s the parents who are causing it";.

The Mumsnet post was flooded with responses from people, many of whom agreed with the nanny.

One person commented: "I was having exactly the same conversation with colleagues recently.

"I don't remember having half these issues when I first started in childcare 30+ years ago.

"Your child will still love you if you say no occasionally!"

Another person commented: "I’ve come to think that ‘gentle (non) parenting’ is actually contributing to poor mental health.

"The number of children just in our social circle who are struggling with anxiety is staggering.

"These kids have few boundaries which is confusing for them, so little ability to regulate their emotions and are never forced to do a single thing they don’t want.

"Plus with constant gaming from a staggeringly young age I think we are basically ruining children."

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