Many of us were raised in the era of authoritarian parenting and we would like to parent our children differently. The pendulum swung in a different direction with a permissive parenting style with a lack of boundaries, a desire to please children very rarely saying "no' to them.
Lighthouse parenting combines the most important aspects of raising children: nurturing, loving, protecting, and communicating with them. Much like a lighthouse, parents provide a stable source of guidance for their children while still maintaining a healthy balance of stepping in and allowing them the freedom to grow and learn on their own.
On the spectrum of parenting styles, lighthouse parenting hovers right around the middle—not as involved as a helicopter parent, but not as hands-off as a free-range parent.
The most important aspects of ighthouse parenting:
- Checking in and communicating
- Balancing autonomy and guidance
- Giving children enough space to experience and learn from failure
- Being available whenever guidance is needed
- Fostering independence and resilience
- Allowing children the opportunity to make decisions and problem-solve on their own
Benefits of lighthouse parenting:
- Promotes healthy boundaries
Lighthouse parents set healthy limits and boundaries for their children without being too forceful or overly involved. This helps foster essential life skills such as independence, problem-solving, and resilience, while building their self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Creates a supportive parent-child relationship
A lighthouse parenting approach values open communication and self-reflection, and it encourages children to come to parents for guidance, which lays the foundation for a comfortable and supportive relationship.
- Builds better coping skills
A cornerstone of lighthouse parenting is offering children guidance when it's needed, rather than constantly intervening and solving their problems for them.