benign neglect

American  

noun

1. an attitude or policy of noninterference or neglect of a situation, which may have a more beneficial effect than assuming responsibility; well-intentioned neglect.

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Etymology

Origin of benign neglect

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Since then, dollar policy has mostly consisted of benign neglect: rhetorical support for a strong dollar without any supporting action.

From The Wall Street Journal

We bought a 100-year-old house about 2 1/2 years ago, and while it had good bones it suffered from benign neglect.

From MarketWatch

It is this lack of maternal attention that sends Ellis’ two older sisters on different paths, with the same goal in mind: to fill the lacuna left by their mother’s benign neglect.

From Los Angeles Times

“It wasn’t benign neglect but a designed robbery of the financial system,” the country’s new central bank governor, Dr Ahsan Mansur, told the BBC in an recent exclusive interview.

From BBC

All you need is a lot of light and benign neglect to raise healthy and beautiful succulents.

From Seattle Times