Despite all its competing advice on how to raise well-adjusted little humans (or, if you're like me, how to care for your adult self),​ ​the parenting corner of the internet has seemingly found consensus on one framework​:​ gentle parenting.

Being too fearful might cause us to limit ourselves and avoid even the most mundane situation. A lack of fear would instead lead to excessive risk-taking. So how do we figure out if our fear meter is functioning properly?

Fear can be an incredibly useful emotion, but it is also very tricky. Applied in moderation, it keeps us from going into situations where we might get hurt. However, excessive fear can also keep us stuck.