An Insight of 4 Types of Parenting Styles and Their Effects
Mind That!! Your Parenting Style Has Great Effects On Your Child’s Development
Every parent wants to shape his kids in a manner that they would become successful and happy in life. However, your behavior and conduct with your children greatly affect their development, psychology, and social attitude. And not only this, but it also determines the bond you would be sharing with your children in their adolescence.
Diana Baumrind, a clinical psychologist, while evaluating the behavior of preschool children due to different child care practices, in the 1960s, identified 3 distinct types of parenting styles. The 4th one was later on suggested by Maccoby and Martin. Each style differs from the other based on 4 variables, namely, discipline strategies, communication, nurturing/warmth, and expectations from the parents.
1. Authoritarian Parenting
2. Authoritative Parenting
3. Permissive Parenting
4. Uninvolved Parenting
Let’s have a look at each of them, and their consequences in terms of child behavior and personality. See in which category would you fall?
1. Authoritative Parenting:
Parents in this category provide strict rules to the children, without explaining the reasons. Punishment is common, whenever the children don’t follow any of these rules. Communication between parents and children is very limited, and it’s usually from parent to children only.
Children of authoritarian parents are never been heard, rather they only listen to what is directed. Little or no nurturing is there. Expectations are very high without providing any guidelines. They expect their children to behave well and follow their rules without questioning them.
Children of authoritarian parents are usually confused and muddled because they haven’t been communicated well. This type of parenting is dictatorial.
Its Impact on Children:
Children of authoritarian parents are usually obedient, but they have serious issues of lower self-esteem and self-doubts. They are grown up into more aggressive individuals and have an anger issue.
They don’t have their own opinions because they never get a privilege to express their point of views and have never been heard. These children are generally unhappy and uncontended.
A study showed that these children are less competent and maladjusted during their preschool in comparison to the children of authoritative parents.
2. Authoritative Parenting:
Parents in authoritative parenting are also strict in implementing rules in their lives, but they explain each and everything to the children. They help their children in coping up with the struggles they are going through.
Rather than forcefully implementing rules, they believe in strong communication with their children. Communication is always two-way and children’s opinions are listened to and valued.
There is a lot of nurturing and warmth in the relationship. Expectations of the parents are high but there is always support, guidance, and assistance provided.
This type of parenting is supposed to be the best type and has been proven through several studies. Because it yields children that are independent, happy, decision-makers, and successful in their lives.
Its Impact on Children:
Children of authoritative parents are generally happy and contented. They are independent, self-regulated, and have their own strong opinions. They are successful because they possess the capabilities to make decisions in life.
A study concluded that these children have the highest level of cohesion with their parents which is then followed by permissive, authoritarian, and then uninvolved parenting. What is more heartwarming and pleasing than sharing a very powerful bond with your children throughout life? Ah! Nothing.
3. Permissive Parenting:
These parents do not have any rules set, and they are quite easygoing. They are very lenient and more like a friend with their children. They usually provide little or no guidance and support to the kids and let them cope up with the situation by themselves. They believe in the phrase:
Kids will be kids
They let the children decide what’s best for them. There is a lot of nurturing or warmth in the relationship. These parents expect least or do not expect at all from their children.
Its Impact on Children:
These children usually rank lowest in their academic life and go through a lot of struggle with their studies. They are also reported to be sad and unhappy children and have lower self-esteem.
They go through behavioral challenges because they are not habitual of discipline in life. Also, they are at risk of many health issues like obesity because of unhealthy and unregulated eating habits.
4. Uninvolved Parenting:
Parents in this category have no rules stated to their kids, and let the kids do whatever they want to. There is no proper guidance or support for the children. These parents do not get involved with their kids and sometimes they don’t even bother that where their child is or what he’d be doing.
They provide the basic necessities including food and clothes to the children and afterward don’t care about their further needs or problems. They do not realize the importance of quality time with their kids. There is no communication and minimal nurturing. They do not expect from their kids.
Well, it is debatable that these parents show this neglecting behavior by choice, or they are entangled in some other issues like work. What do you think the reasons might be?
Its Impact on Children:
These children struggle with lower self-esteem and are generally unhappy. They also face challenges in their academic life because of poor or no guidance and support. They are less competent than their friends or classmates.
Other Factors that Affect Parenting Style:
The research that evaluated parenting styles, however, had some limitations in its design. It did not account for several factors that affect the choice of parenting style. Some are:
Child’s Temperament:
It is a very important aspect because parents need to deal with the kids according to their temperaments. Although, they may be following the authoritative style, but due to the harsh and stubborn temperament of their kid, they might switch to authoritarian parents to deal with the situation. In fact, it has been reported by some parents that they had to shift from one to another parenting style due to their children’s temperament.
Children’s Social Environment:
It includes the environment at school and also the friends and their company.
Final Words:
It’s not mandatory that one must fit in one of these categories because it’s usually a combination of styles that needed to be followed depending upon the situation. Also, it might be possible that one parent follows one style and the other opts for a different one. But in the end, the main goal is to provide the best parenting to the children, and a healthy place where they can learn, ask, follow, observe, and grow into the best version of themselves.
To see your children growing into successful, happy, composed, and confident children need lots of patience, sacrifices, commitment, consistency, and hard work. But in the end, the result is worth the time and energy spending.
Now let me know which parenting style do you follow and which you want to follow?
