Everyone can benefit from some parenting advice regardless of how experienced they are when it comes to raising children. Most people think they are unique in the way they raise their kids, but most parenting styles fit into one of four categories: Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive or uninvolved. Keep reading to see how these styles work and how they can affect your children.
Parenting Advice: Understanding the different parenting styles
How much independence you are willing to grant your child and how much discipline you provide determines your parenting style. Let us take a detailed look at the four main parenting styles.
Parents with this approach tend to be very controlling and strict. These people require obedience from their children, and they have a strong sense of morality. If the kids do not follow the rules, they are typically punished. People with this parenting style tend to be averse to challenges. They are not fans of the concept of negotiating with children.
The lack of two-way communication can be a huge issue with this style. Authoritarian parents demand much from their children but do not give back as much as they demand. According to research published in the International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education, children with authoritarian parents tend to have low self-esteem.
These types of parents like to retain control and authority, but they communicate with their children and have warmer relationships than authoritarian parents. Authoritative parents look for a balance between their child's need for independence and their need to have their child listen to the rules they set.
Authoritative parents are demanding, but they are also very responsive. They are assertive, but they do not restrict their child's development or intrude into their personal space. These parents want their child to be self-regulated, socially responsible and assertive. The study mentioned above shows the most-adjusted children are those with two authoritative parents. They have high self-esteem and can cope with the world.
These types of parents rarely ever place any demands on their children. They are very accepting and lenient when it comes to correcting their children’s actions. Permissive parents tend to demand little from their children while being extremely responsive to their needs.
Parents might adopt a permissive style because they are unsure of what is best for the child, so they try to make up for it by being best friends with them. Other permissive parents do so out of a desire to compensate for things they could not do when they were younger. The most permissive parents are often viewed as indifferent. They essentially give their children material goods and love without asking for anything in return.
These are parents who provide little for their child and expect the same in return. While this can function like roommates who share a home, uninvolved parenting can just as equally turn into a form of neglect. Children may have a high amount of self-reliance, but this can them to also develop negative ways of handling their emotions. Someone who tells you to take this approach is not giving you good parenting advice.
Give your children the best foundation possible
Proper parenting gives your children all the tools they need to be successful in life. It is a difficult job, but it does bring many rewards. For more parenting advice, contact us to describe your challenges or parenting goals.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.