Parenting styles vary widely depending upon families, geographic area, and culture, which have a strong impact on a child’s development. Though a child can grow in any condition they are living in. But every parent has a different approach to raise a child. Parenting styles are thus these different patterns or approaches by parents to nurture their children for their growth. It has been observed that a child’s behavior or nature strongly depend on their parent’s parenting style.
Each parent has unique style of dealing with children. Parents have different approach toward their children,different boundaries and limitations. Hence depending upon these differences, parenting style has been categorized.
In 1960, Diana Baumrind, a clinical and developmental psychologist,popularly known for her extensive research on parenting styles, categorized parenting into three different styles. Later on fourth category was added so now there are 4 parenting styles. Read on to explore these 4 parenting styles and their effects on child’s development.
Often parents want to know which parenting style is right for them. It is obvious no parents want to cause harm to their child. So they are doing right according to them. They should realize where to set the boundaries. They also need to understand how to limit things in the right way.
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Understanding How Parenting Styles Impact Child Development
The way parents behave with their children impact them physically as well emotionally. A child’s early childhood experiences frame his character later in life. We often see some parents are over involved in raising children like interfering in each little things. In those cases, children become too dependent on parents. It becomes very tough for them when they have to face any challenges in life.
In some cases parents are too busy to find time for their children. Children spend most of the time managing alone with their caretakers or grandparents. These children are to be less connected with their parents emotionally. But researches have proved that these kids are more manageable, responsible and independent kids.
Different parenting styles have different impact on children with each style having some pros and cons. Now we have to decide where to draw the line to minimize the cons and maximize the pros. Keep reading to get a better idea of different styles of parenting.
Types Of Parenting Styles
There are mainly 4 different parenting styles depending upon the distinct perspective of parents.
1) Authoritarian Parenting
Authoritarian parenting imposes strict rules without any flexibility for children. They force their children to obey the rules at any cost by remaining very strict to them. These types of parents give less to no explanations for the rules to be followed. Expectations of parents in this style of parenting is very high but there is lack of compassion. Children are bound to obey their parents, even get punished if they failed to obey the rules.
How Authoritarian Parenting affect children?
It has been discerned that children who grew up in this parenting style are good in following rules but they have very poor self esteem. They have the fear of doing something wrong that pulls down their morale. They face trouble while taking decisions in life because of low confidence. Due to lack of love and warmth from parents children show aggression in their behavior.
In authoritarian parenting, parents often uses phrases like “you have to do this, because I said so”. This makes children feel pressurized and they loose the emotional bonding with parents. They get inadequate emotional support from parents that leads to depression and anxiety.
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2) Authoritative Parenting
Authoritative parenting is quite balanced style of parenting where parents set clear expectations and boundaries with love and support. Parents are quite responsive toward child’s requirements. In this parenting style, punishment is not the tool to teach children, rather parents focus on discipline to guide their children. Parents take time to listen to their children and also allow them to express their views and opinions.
How Authoritative Parenting affect children?
As in authoritative parenting children are nurtured with love and support, so this has a positive impact on children. Kids who are raised by parents that exhibit authoritative parenting style have high self-esteem and have a healthy mental state. Authoritative parenting stimulate independence and sense of responsibility in children.
Authoritative parents explain reasons behind all the rules. As a result, children tend to make good choices in life. They are also responsible for their actions. This approach of parenting teaches children to control emotions and bouncing back from setbacks.
Researches have proved this style of parenting is best approach to parenting. It has been perceived that children raised by this approach of parenting are more happier, resilient and capable in life.
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3) Permissive Parenting
We have seen parents who avoid conflicts with children. They find it difficult to set rules for children. It is a strenuous task for them to keep their children in limits or boundaries. But no doubt they shower a lot of affection and warmth to their children. This is permissive parenting where there is selfless love and care for children with less to no strict rules or boundaries for children.
In permissive parenting, parents let their children to express opinions and take major decisions without enforcing their own choices. They don’t take much stress in disciplining their children and also their expectations are also not high.
How Permissive Parenting affect children?
In Permissive parenting style, children have a strong bond with parents as they get abundant love and care from their parents. Since they are used to take decisions from early childhood, their self-esteem is very high. They are good in interacting with others.
But children who brought up by permissive parents struggle to maintain discipline in life. They face difficulty in dealing with authority. These children may lack basic life skills like sharing and cooperation. Children find problems in managing emotions as they are used getting plentiful love and affection from their parents without any boundaries.
4) Uninvolved Parenting
Uninvolved parenting refers to neglected parenting where parent’s involvement is minimal in child’s life. They are not at all responsive to child’s need. Parents provide basic need of children but doesn’t bother about child’s feeling and other emotional requirements. As the name suggests, uninvolved parents are almost detached from their children. They don’t show any interest in guiding their children or support them whenever they require.
How does Uninvolved Parenting affect children?
As in uninvolved parenting, parents are emotionally detached from children. So kids experience difficulties in managing their emotions in a healthy way. They had to struggle in many things as there is no proper support/guidance by their parents.
As kids suffer from neglecting relationships, later in life they too neglect relationships. It is hard for them to maintain strong bond with anyone. Sometimes the feel of being neglected by parents make them feel less worthy. This lowers their self-esteem too.
Conclusion
At the end of the day we parents want children to listen to us. And the the problem arises how to do it in the right way. So there goes the need to adapt the right parenting style. Now, as we know the impact of each parenting style, we must decide how to draw the line in parenting. This decision should ensure that both parents and children have a win-win situation. Being too strict or too loose won’t work. There should be balance between giving unconditional love as well imposing some rules for their better development.
Experts consider the authoritative style as the most effective and healthy way of parenting among these 4 parenting styles. As there is a balanced approach of setting boundaries, showing care and responsiveness towards child.
So comment me what is your parenting style and what changes you think you need to adapt to do it in more healthier way.
Happy Parenting!!
