4 Parenting Styles and Their Impact on Kids
Parenting is one of the most challenging jobs out there. One major challenge is trying to balance different parenting styles; you won’t always be the authority figure, but you also want your child to become confident and independent. Different parenting styles have other effects on children’s development.
Expert psychologists, such as Dr. Diana Baumrind, conducted a study in the 1960s on more than 100 preschool-age children. The Naturalistic Observation parental reviews examined different parenting styles and how they can affect an individual’s development over time.
This study concluded that different parenting styles have other impacts on children. Dr. Baumrind identified four different parenting styles: Authoritative Parenting, Authoritarian Parenting, Permissive Parenting, and Uninvolved or Negligent Parenting.
Authoritative Parenting
This type of parent normally develops a loving and nurturing relationship with their children. They also instill enough discipline to set limits for what the child can or cannot do, which is important for healthy self-regulation development.
Disciplinary methods are not only used as a way of support but also for discipline. Children can have input into the goals and expectations set by their parents. Additionally, these families will frequently communicate, making sure they are on the same page and don’t misinterpret one another, leading children down an unhealthy path while growing up.
This parenting style requires patience because it takes a lot out of everyone when you do things like talk through problems instead of creating punishments or consequences immediately after something goes wrong; however, this makes healthier outcomes overall than any other kind would likely produce, according to findings.
Authoritative parenting is a style of raising children that have been shown to produce confident, responsible adults. Not only are these kids able to manage their emotions better and have higher self-esteem than those raised in authoritarian households, but they also achieve more academically with an increased level of success throughout school life.
Signs You Are a Authoritative Parent:
- You set high goals for your kids but also give them guidance to achieve those goals
- You use techniques such as positive discipline instead of strict rules
Authoritarian Parenting
Parents with authoritarian parenting tend to have a different way of raising their children. These parents use different punishments and rewards on a stricter scale to force the behavior they want from their kids.
Parents who are authoritarian expect their children to follow the rules without question. Mistakes, such as breaking a toy or getting an answer wrong on homework, can lead to punishment. It is easy for them not to be nurturing because they have high expectations with limited flexibility when dealing with mistakes being made by the child.
Growing up in a strict household can have a profound effect on how kids behave. If you’re raised by tough and strict parents, the chances of being well-behaved increase because these children know that they’ll be punished if they misbehave or act out too much. This style of parenting also results in more obedient and able learners – but it comes at a cost: It may teach your child to follow orders without questioning them, which might make him/her less likely to take risks when necessary, as he is conditioned from birth that obeying authority figures bring consequences (and rewards). In other words, this type of upbringing could lead to shyness or even aggression later down the line for some people (though not all).
Signs You Are a Authoritarian Parent:
- You have high expectations of your children
- You would resort to harsher punishments if your child did something wrong
Permissive Parenting
Parents with a permissive parenting style are usually warm, nurturing, and supportive but also lenient. They have a laid-back approach to parenting. Communication is open, but children are allowed the freedom and independence they need to figure things out for themselves. This results in rare instances of discipline being needed because parents act more like friends than strict disciplinarians or rules enforcers (though sometimes this can backfire).
The child has a lot of freedom to the point that they can decide their bedtime, if or when they do homework, and screen time with the computer and television. This extreme amount of freedom could lead to other negative habits since parents might not guide moderation at all! Overall, children from permissive households usually have high self-esteem but decent social skills.
Signs You Are A Permissive Parent:
- You don’t enforce rules for your kids and look at your children as friends.
- You like giving your kids freedom and letting them become independent.
Uninvolved Parenting
An uninvolved parent is the type of person that stays out of their child’s life. They fulfill a child’s basic needs and generally remain detached from them. Still, when they do interact with them, it will be for disciplining purposes only. These parents are not involved in what happens to their children outside of school or other activities, so there may never be an instance where you see this kind of parent at your kid’s soccer game!
They’re usually quite hands-off when it comes to parenting. Still, uninvolved parents do offer a low amount of emotional support for their kids, at least.
At the surface level, it may seem as if children of uninvolved parents are better off than their more well-adjusted counterparts. While these children typically grow up to be resilient and self-sufficient, they develop this skill out of sheer necessity rather than love and caring.
Signs You Are a Uninvolved Parent:
- You don’t ask your child about their school, homework, and other social activities
- You don’t spend much time with your child
So What’s the Best Parenting Style for You?
The research suggests that authoritative parents are more likely to raise independent, self-reliant, and socially competent kids. They can be firm without being overly harsh or unfair with their children while providing a nurturing environment for them to grow up in.
But when it comes to parenting, there is no “one size fits all” type. The most important thing is to be a good parent in the way that you feel best.
A good parent would never subscribe to just one type of parenting. You must know when to use a different approach, but be careful not to overuse it in the process! To have an effective relationship with your children and raise them into well-behaved adults, there are few strategies that every parent needs at their disposal.
All parents need to remember that there is no one perfect parenting style for all families. Instead, the best way to raise your children may change with various circumstances in their lives and yours. As they grow up, don’t be afraid of trying new methods if you feel they will work better than what has been working so far!
Final Takeaways
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our blog posts about the different styles of parenting. Whether you agree with all or none of them, we want to know your thoughts! Leave a comment below and let us know what parenting style you think is best for your child?
Charlee
I'm a Mom of two daughters, Freya and Ava. I love to share insights on how parents can be better parents. I write about topics that are relevant to me as a parent: things like parenting style, relationship, marriage, and balancing work and family.
