The 'down side' to gentle parenting is that because our society has become so family un-friendly (so much for work-life balance - unless it involves no family and balancing houseboat trips with work!), it takes more effort to 'hold the space' and shield ourselves from all the pressures we get from all sides!
To me, gentle parenting is my aim, not necessarily what I do all the time. We're all fallible.
I remember one of Pinky's general emails that said if you feel like you "can't cope" it means you're not getting the help you need to do the job you're doing. When DP gets home and sees the house (well, his mum's house where we lived until last Friday...he's still there, he he!) messy and things not done and gets antsy about it, I know that he's on the verge of accusing me of 'not coping'. And I just want to yell "No, I'm not 'coping', so get off my case and just let me parent"! As in, my 'job description' is for parenting, NOT housekeeping...that's a bonus I chuck in when I can, these days
Mate, I've been having some shocking days, lately. DS is really taking off in his personality and with all the pressures until I moved the kids and I to the farm I just couldn't really balance out what DP expected to get done, how MiL was getting peeved with the kids doing their kid things in her house (and the not so subtle indications that she doesn't agree with my parenting, therefore, won't support it), external pressures like bill paying etc. I am now living in a caravan with my kids, but dammit, it's on my own turf, with very little 'housekeeping' and I've had the best 5 days I've had in ages with the two kids. And that's on my own! I thought I'd be a heaving mess by now! DP is due to join us for a couple of weeks next week, so I wonder how that will change the dynamic again. I'm hoping the rest of the week is a good innoculation against whatever negatives he brings with him.
Amazing what taking away some pressure can do. The only aggro I've had is at the pool when DS has tuned me out and nearly drowned his sister...another story...
Ultimately, be true to yourself and to your kids. You are only answerable to them, and one day they'll be asking you about how you raised them, and I reckon you'll be able to hold your head pretty high