Type C parenting is for the parent who wants connection over control. It is for the mum who sets a meal plan but serves cereal for dinner when the day goes sideways. It is honest. It is soft. It is strong in a quiet way.
What Does Type C Parenting Look Like
- You have a bedtime routine but sometimes skip it for a cuddle and a chat
- Your home has rhythms instead of rigid rules
- You let go of guilt when things are not perfect
- You pause before reacting when your child is loud, messy, or defiant
- You repair after rupture instead of hiding it
Why Parents Are Choosing This Style
Because hustle culture is exhausting. Because children are not projects. Because parenting in the real world needs flexibility. Type C parents understand that emotional safety comes before academic achievement. And that being calm is more powerful than being right.
How to Shift into Type C Parenting Today
You do not need a new routine or reward chart. You need small, soft pivots. Here is how to start:
Gentle Shifts You Can Make
- Choose connection over correction at least once each day
- Build in five minutes of quiet time where nothing is required of you
- Speak to yourself the way you would speak to your child
- Notice your own nervous system before responding to your child
- Repair when you lose it without guilt or excuses
This Helps Children Too
Children raised with this approach tend to feel safer, more seen, and less anxious. They are more likely to co-regulate, use emotional language, and trust the grown-ups in their lives. You are showing them how to be kind to themselves by modelling self-compassion out loud.
Common Struggles This Approach Softens
If you feel overstimulated, burnt out, or ashamed after shouting, this approach gives you a way through. It is not perfect. But it is doable. And that is what makes it powerful.
Helpful Reframes
- Instead of I failed, try I noticed
- Instead of I have to fix everything, try I will stay present
- Instead of They are being difficult, try They are having a hard time
- Instead of I am too much, try I am learning how to soften
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