Mum's toddler boundary-setting sparks debate among parents

“This is gentle parenting, by the way; I’m not coddling him,” she notes.

PSA: It's okay to set boundaries when it comes to sharing your food with your kids.

And according to a mum on TikTok, @rachonlife, it's actually essential for both you and your child that you feel comfortable saying no to certain things.

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Image: TikTok

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Mum shares gentle parenting approach to sharing food

While making herself some lunch in her kitchen, Rachel’s toddler persistently interrupts her to ask if he can share her lunch.

“No baby, this is mummy’s lunch,” she tells him firmly. “You just ate lunch. You may not have mine. I am not interested in sharing.”

After he asks, ‘why?’ she simply tells him: “Because I don’t want to and I’m hungry because I haven’t eaten yet.”

She then reassures him that she understands his frustration, but if he’s really still hungry, he can go to the pantry to find himself a snack.

Then, speaking to the camera, she tells parents that it’s okay to have boundaries like this with their children regarding food. “This is gentle parenting by the way, I’m not coddling him,” she notes. “I’m being gentle with him. It’s not super complex.”

After her toddler approaches her once more asking for some of her lunch, she tells him again, “You may not have my lunch.”

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"Now THIS is real gentle parenting"

Her clip resonated with hundreds of parents who liked her approach.

“Now THIS is real gentle parenting!!” the top comment, with 165k likes, read. “People hear gentle parenting and think permissive parenting!”

“This is the only gentle parenting video I have seen that I thought the parent was actually a parent,” another person praised.

“This also teaches them they can’t get everything they want,” a third claimed.

“Why do some people have an issue with gentle parenting? It's just *laying down the law* without anger or aggression or shouting,” explained another follower.

Critics took issue with the mum's approach

However, a few people didn’t agree with her delivery. 

“Why can’t you make him one? My mum would have made one for me and just not given me hers,” someone wrote.

Another user replied: “I could never. I will always share with my kids, my nephews and nieces. They can taste my food if they ask. This hurt my heart.”

Rachel replied: “Grow a human and then come back and comment.”

Do you share your food with your kids? Tell us about it in the comments on Facebook!

Originally published as Mum's toddler boundary-setting sparks debate among parents