tough love

tough love

Help, guidance, or advice given to someone in a manner that does not offer or tolerate leniency in rules or discipline. Treating someone in such a way can be done in general or, as is often the case, to try to change behavior or a particular problem, such as addiction. That boy's parents let him do whatever he wants, but he's in for some tough love when he gets to his grandmother's house—she's kind but strict! What I really wanted when I went to rehab was tough love, instead of more people enabling me.
See also: love, tough
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

tough ˈlove

treating somebody in a harsh way in order to help them improve their situation or change the way they behave: She believes in ‘tough love’ for dealing with disruptive youngsters.
See also: love, tough
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • accompany (one) on a/(one's) journey
  • accompany on a journey
  • a stranger to (someone or something)
  • be out of (one's) league
  • be out of somebody's league
  • be in bad with (someone)
  • a dog in the manger
  • (one) puts (one's) pants on one leg at a time
  • bargain
  • bargain for (someone or something) with (someone)
References in periodicals archive
They introduce the "tough love model," which includes asymmetric time preferences and endogenous discount rates.
ciate it most when see friends who tell me what they've seen or heard songs on adverts here, posters "Tough Love made me realise I have a bit of a fan base who would hopefully want to hear new music, and hopefully there'll be more new people listening second time around too."
"Tough Love made me T realise I have a bit of a fan base who would hopefully want to hear new music, and hopefully there'll be more new people listening second time around too."
Our community is divided on these questions, with one faction supporting a tough love approach and the other arguing that people should receive our assistance.
Insiders added that everybody knew Hoffman was struggling to stay sober, and O'Donnell had given him some tough love and told him he needed some time away from the kids and to get straight again.
They love her dearly, but have realised being supportive wasn't helping so have taken a 'tough love' approach."
In attendance for the event were actor Jason Priestley, JoAnn Ward of VH1's "Tough Love," actress Wendy Kellman as well as Ford models Jellybean and Lollypop Howie.
The parents of university graduates have been given a guide by the government that urges them to use "tough love" to help motivate their child to secure a job and leave home after university.
Children who grow up with parents who take a "tough love" approach to their upbringing are better prepared to do well in life, according to a new report.
Hillary Clinton has set a new tone in US relations with Africa on a whirlwind 7-nation trip, sometimes ruffling feathers with a tough love message that Africans must tackle their own problems.
"I'm not letting you turn my cancer into your latest excuse!" Tough love tempers tragedy in Andrea Lepcio's Looking for the Pony.
The fourth season of DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER finds him tracking down more criminals then handing more tough love after capture.
Today's bets Tough Love 4.45 Beverley 1pt win Black Dahlia 8.30 Newbury 1pt win
But I can say without any hesitation that if I ever become mentally impaired, I hope that someone will have the courage to show me tough love and put me into the hands of people who are trained to care for me and not inflict on me the undignified life that's the lot of many unfortunates who are being left to get on with it.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay said his drug addict younger brother needs "tough love" after being jailed in Bali.