Parenting Dilemma: Why Moms Often Become The ‘Bad Guy’ In A Laidback Parenting Setup

For all the moms out there, this question is for you - are you a "fun" parent or the "bad guy" at home? If your answer is the latter, don't worry because you are not alone. As a matter of fact, a new study revealed that more moms have become disciplinarians compared to the fathers who prefer to be more laidback when it comes to their approach in parenting,

Based on the study conducted by VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, 60 percent of women admitted that they're more likely to scold or punish their children as compared to their husbands, who wanted to be perceived as the "fun parent." However, several moms have been complaining about their spouses because they feel that they are forced to assume the role of a "bad guy" in their household, Daily Mail noted.

According to childcare.co.uk parenting expert Jo Wiltshire, there are ways to prevent mothers from becoming the "bad guy" when their spouses prefer laidback parenting setup. Wiltshire said that it's a given fact that moms often feel responsible in doing all the "disciplining, monitoring homework, teaching manners, enforcing bedtimes or policing sibling wars" stuff in the family while dads would just simply disrupt these mommy laws.

Wiltshire, however, stressed that even with laidback parenting, parents should work as a team. They should share the childcare responsibilities while staying consistent and united to the kids. Wiltshire also advised parents to establish a common ground in disciplining their kids and among the ways include setting up guidelines and providing backup.

Meanwhile, parenting or parenthood could be both fulfilling and challenging. At times, parenting could also become controversial and debatable just like the Walmart incident in Texas a week ago where a concerned woman named Erika Burch intervened a man who appeared to be harshly disciplining a child in public by wrapping the little girl's hair to the handle of a grocery cart, The New York Times revealed.

The said Walmart incident has sparked an online debate whether or not a person should intervene if a parent is harshly disciplining a child in public. But parenting experts stressed that any unsolicited advice about other people's parenting often ends up a criticism in spite of how good and non-malicious the intention would be, according to another New York Times report.

With that said, parents should always remember that parenting is a learned skill and every family has its own distinctive subtleties. In fact, there is really no "one-size-fits-all" thing in parenting.

What are your thoughts about laidback parenting? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.