A euphemism meaning "one must handle carefully"
To treat someone with a different set of standards, different language, different expectations.
To soft-talk an individual, sparing them the gory details of reality.
The version of tough love where the parent (typically) has to tippy-toe the tough love, rather than do smash-their-car- level tough love.
Variants: tippy-toe tough love Antonym: smash-their-car-level tough love
Child: Pick my hanger up
Parent: No
Child (still in bed at midday): But you knocked it down
Parent: Its for your own good. GET OUT OF BED AND PICK THE *** THING UP YOURSELF
Child: !
Parent: Kid gloves tough love, sweetie, kid gloves tough love
when you're holding up your phone and making faces at it, as though you are taking a selfie, but you're really taking a picture of the person across from you or the wall or anything else that seems interesting but you don't want to be caught dead taking a picture of.
This action is often made more convincing by wiggling the eyebrows or opening the mouth, to pretend you're trying to get a Snapchat filter to work.