William Clark
If you are parent, then you have probably thought about the different methods you use to raise your children. You may even question whether you are doing the right thing when you send them to their room or allow them to stay up a half-hour later than normal.
There are four main parenting styles used in child psychology. Each of the different styles has a unique impact on a child’s behavior and development. They offer different characteristics and advantages, as well as downsides.
While it is completely normal to question your parenting skills at some point, you may also be able to find some valuable resources at BetterHelp. Not only do they have information available about parenting, but they also have tons of resources that could help you with stress that inevitably coincides with having children.
Learning the four different parenting styles and the aspects of each one that makes it unique can be beneficial to a parent. You may be able to understand the things you do for you children and the reasoning behind those decisions. You may even find that you alter your techniques for your children when you take a look at your own style for raising children.
Permissive
The permissive parenting style, also known as the indulgent parenting style, is characterized by a low amount of demand and high responsiveness. A permissive parent will generally communicate openly with their children but allow kids to make their own decisions more often than those with other parenting styles.
This style of parenting does not have as strict rules, expectations, and guidelines, or they do, but they are not strictly enforced. Sometimes, a permissive parent will make their children happy at their own expense and are more likely to develop into a friendship role instead of a parenting role.
Another trait of permissive parenting is conflict avoidance. A permissive parent may even give into their children’s pleas or demands in order to resolve the conflict, even if it is not best for their development or the parent-child relationship.
Permissive parents are usually very nurturing and caring. However, this type of parenting may result in children who are not good at self-regulation and may not be as happy as children from families with other parenting styles. They may also have issues with authority, which can cause problems in education.
Authoritative
Authoritative parents have high responsiveness coupled with high demand. They set clear rules and guidelines, but also practice empathy and understanding. They may be somewhat flexible, but still enforce the rules when necessary.
They will listen to their children’s thoughts and feelings and strive for open communication.
They may also occasionally use a hands-off approach to allow for natural consequences to their children’s actions in order to allow their kids to learn from their mistakes or poor choices.
They are prone to teaching values and adequate reasoning skills, which can lead to children who are independent and disciplined. While the parents expect a lot, they also offer comfort and support and are more likely to nurture and forgive than they are to punish.
This parenting style is often regarded as the most beneficial for child development because it can result in kids who are successful and happy. They are more likely to have positive self-control and qualities like assertiveness and responsibility.
Neglectful
The neglectful or uninvolved parenting style is found with parents who have both low responsiveness and low demandingness. They allow their kids to be independent while remaining uninvolved or indifferent to their child’s experiences.
They are unlikely to offer attention and guidance and will probably be less nurturing than those from other parenting styles. These parents may also struggle with their own self-esteem issues. They may not intentionally be uncaring or uninvolved but can seem cold to an outsider.
Children raised by neglectful parents often lack self-control and have low self-esteem. They are more likely to be incompetent and successful in their pursuits than children from all other parenting styles.
Authoritarian
Authoritarian parents have high demand coupled with low responsiveness. They enforce strict rules and expectations and are unlikely to take social, emotional, and behavioral needs into consideration. The reasoning behind their rules does not matter and the rules are unlikely to fluctuate.
The communication between authoritarian parents and their children is often one-sided. If a child breaks the rules, they are likely to be met with punishment. They expect their children to behave well and not to make many mistakes.
In addition, authoritarian parents are not the type to provide direction and guidance about what a child should do in the future. A child may be punished and know they did wrong, but not know why or how to fix the issue in the future.
Children with authoritarian parents are obedient and well-behaved, but they are more likely to have lower self-esteem than children from authoritative parents and generally rank lower in happiness.
Finding a Parenting Style
Research shows that authoritative parents are more likely to raise children who are independent and socially competent. In addition, the other three parenting styles are more likely to result in mental health issues, relationship problems, and low self-esteem.
It is important to note that not any one style works for all situations or all families. A varied approach may be more beneficial as long as it is used in moderation. Also, individual parents may use different approaches and styles that can combine to be beneficial or harmful.
An example of changing styles depending on a situation is when a child becomes sick. An authoritative parent may be more permissive when their kid is sick and allow them to do things that they otherwise would not permit. Conversely, a permissive parent may be strict about certain things that put the child in danger.
Finally, there is a substantial amount of criticism on the impact that a parenting style has. Also, every child and situation are completely unique, and some parenting styles may not work for some personalities. There are just too many factors to take it as objective fact that one parenting style is better than others. Still, it is a good idea to keep these styles in mind when choosing how to parent your children.
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Marie Miguel Biography
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
