{"id":186569,"date":"2023-10-27T01:23:46","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T01:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/?p=186569"},"modified":"2023-10-27T01:23:46","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T01:23:46","slug":"what-is-jellyfish-parenting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/what-is-jellyfish-parenting\/","title":{"rendered":"What is jellyfish parenting and is it too much of a good thing?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to parenting styles, animals are natural metaphors, as their names generally conjure an image of a one-dimensional behavior. Tiger mom<\/a>, for instance, was a neologism coined in 2011 to describe tough disciplinarians. More recent, and on the other end of the spectrum, is jellyfish parenting, a parenting style name dubbed by Dr. Shimi Kang<\/a>, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and author of a number of books, including “The Dolphin Parent<\/a>.”<\/p>

“Jellyfish parenting is a style that’s more permissive in contrast to other parenting styles,” Kang says, referring to shark- and dolphin-style parents, which are two additional parenting styles she breaks down in her book (more on this shortly).<\/p>

Here, Kang and other experts explain what it means to be a jellyfish parent, how this style affects kids and more. <\/p>

What is jellyfish parenting?<\/h2>

Jellyfish parents, according to Kang, generally don’t set clear rules or expectations with their kids. They’re more lax — or, in jellyfish terms, “go with the flow” — particularly when compared to other parenting styles. <\/p>

“The science states there are three general parenting styles,” Kang explains. “Authoritarian [which she coined “shark”], permissive [jellyfish] and authoritative [dolphin]. Using the animals as a metaphor was more descriptive in understanding the nuances of the styles.”<\/p>

What are some examples of jellyfish parenting?<\/h2>

While a “go with the flow” style typically invokes images of happy, laid-back folks, the reality is, when it’s a practice employed around the clock when parenting  kids, it’s not exactly a good thing. <\/p>

As an example of jellyfish parenting in action, Kang uses technology limits (or lack thereof). While authoritarian parents may have “over-the-top rules about [screen time] with no compromise or adaptation,” she says, jellyfish parents might have “no set boundaries or technology guidelines” for their kids. This, she notes, may cause kids to “use technology inappropriately.”<\/p>

Andrea Marano<\/a>, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in family wellness, gives another example.<\/p>

“Think of bedtime,” Marano says. “With jellyfish parenting, there would be minimal to no consistent routine or expectations in terms of timing, winding down activities, etc. Sleep would be more of a child-led approach of falling asleep when tired.” Consistent bedtime routines<\/a>, it should be noted, have been shown to improve kids’ sleep. <\/p>

On the flip side, though, being flexible and untethered to a game plan is sometimes good with kids. Alexandria Lanza<\/a>, a licensed professional counselor, gives a few examples of when being a more “permissive” parent can be beneficial:<\/p>