Is the gentle Latina mother now a new trend; I actually fit that?

[Anonymous]

My mother was soft with me for a Latina too. Though not so much with my younger brother. Then again, he was an unplanned pregnancy and my father wasn't very supportive towards her. That affected her mentally. The only negative thing is she had no style with me. That's the other extreme; doing nothing, having no enthusiasm and no boundaries at all. My father was super inconsistent and would go for one extreme to the other; from permissive to an authoritarian lunatic doing it out of frustration and some religious connotations. Everything would depend on his mood. It was all about his emotions and never about teaching me. That's bad too. I grew up dislike both of my parents' approaches. I view them as unhealthy for a child.

My approach as an atheist, Latina mother

I'm putting more emphasize on my son's cognitive skills, his ability to express himself and be independent (his own person) without fear and overall his full personality and potential developed without delays caused by inconsistencies and traumas. To me a child's cognitive skills, social life and mental wellbeing is more important than getting a high GPA, owning several businesses and obtaining a bunch of college degress. Obviously there will be boundaries and I tend to like being creative. I've realized my style aligns more with the American/European mother than Latina.

Then again, I don't have the guts to be the ''I'm your boss and demand respect, honor your mother and father'' mom style. In appearances, I do look like I can be one of those tough old-school Latinas but that's just not me. As for my husband, he wants nothing to do with old school. His mother (a Chicana; Mexican-American) traumatized him with an extension cord during his childhood. He doesn't want that for our son.

I've noticed less Latinas are doing old school approaches and more are adapting this style that is considered softer. Is this a new trend?

Updates

6 mo

If I wanted immediate obedience in seconds through fear, then might as well get a slave or hire a masochist.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Girl, it’s not a “trend” it’s a stereotype

[Asker]

yeah but the jokes about US mothers being very permissive and Latina mother chasing the kid with belts or shoes have been going on for the longest. But now less Latina mothers are hitting their kids and more into talking and natural consequences. Is that now a new trend too? That was my question.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

No, again, you’re referring to stereotypes which are negative depictions of different kinds of people based on ideals of sexism and white supremacy

[MasterKS]

how could a motherhood be a trend?

[Asker]

I wasn't referring to motherhood. I was mentioning about the different parenting style stereotype given to the American (white) mother and Latina mother. I've even heard jokes being made about how an American mother is more into talking and giving time-out (she wants the kid to express himself) while the Latina mother relies on physical punishment.
Though, there have been a decline in physical punishment in some Latin American countries too. They even banned it and less Latinas are into hitting kids. More like me are nowadays becoming more like the US mothers. Is that now a new trend?

[Asker]

I don't have the guts to hit a child, much less my own boy.