Types of Parenting Styles
Many types of parents can be found in every home. Children are raised to have various qualities based on how they are raised. Some of the features affected include a child's moods and temperament, which can last a lifetime. According to Diana Baumrind's research, all parenting styles can be classified into three types (Coste, n.d). These techniques include authoritative, authoritarian, and lenient approaches. Maccoby and Martin later revised this list, adding the fourth kind, neglectful or uninvolved (Macklem, 2007). Each of these parenting styles has a substantial impact on children's outcomes because they all have advantages and downsides. Therefore, depending on the number of pros and cons, they may fall into a larger categorization of either positive or negative parenting. Each of them will be explored in the following paragraphs.
Authoritarian Parenting
This is the kind of parenting in which guardians establish various sets of rules, which they expect to be obeyed to the letter. In this kind of environment, the children become a product of their parents' thoughts and imaginations and will have little room to decide for themselves. The child will be forced to do whatever his or her parent wants without ever having the mandate of knowing why he or she should do it, or how it can be modified to produce better results. The consequences of failure to perform the needed action always result in punishment or berating. A child has no room for learning the natural penalties or rewards of their actions that are directly attached to their actions or inactions. The advantage is that this kind of parenting often results in children who are obedient. However, there are many repercussions that are associated with it. First, children will always have a low self-esteem and will often exhibit a submissive kind of communication style which puts them at the mercy of anyone in their environment. Second, the children will grow into adults with indecisiveness. However, this kind of parenting may backfire to create individuals who are manipulative and disobedient. In such a case, they may become hostile or aggressive in a bid to rebel against authority, something that may turn them into law-breakers.
Authoritative Parenting
This style of parenting involves a situation where parents express their authority always in the lives of their children. They lay down certain rules, which they feel are essential for the well-being of their children. However, they discuss with them so that the latter understands why they have to do something they have been told, refrain from certain actions, or be wherever asked. Parents are more considerate of how their children feel. They will try to maintain a balance between being the friend and parent, thus initiating a healthy relationship between reason and emotions. In such a case, the rules are simply limitations to avoid consequences, rather than laws. They reward their children for positive behavior and may scold them for disobedience. This is a healthy style of parenting as it often results in children who are self-confident and assertive. They make their own decisions and are open to consultation whenever in doubt. They easily fit into leadership positions and turn out successful in any fields of interest.
Permissive Parenting
Parents who are permissive tend to be lenient with their children. They allow their children to do as they wish and may only get involved whenever a serious problem arises in which they are needed to resolve. The consequences of wrongful behavior are at the bare minimal as parents expect their children to 'behave as children' (Morin, 2016). Such parents become more of friends than guardians and may talk openly about matters that are considered generally inappropriate as subjects of conversation between adults and children. In most cases, the parent will always know the true state of their children at all times, as the latter trust the former fully. The consequence of such a kind of upbringing is that the children are not as aggressive in chasing opportunities because they know they will always have whatever they want. Therefore, they struggle academically and may not be fully in charge of their lives or decisions. Due to the absence of rules, they are likely to develop behavioral problems (Morin, 2016).
Uninvolved/Neglectful Parenting
This is the worst kind of parenting technique as the parents are virtually absent in the lives of their children. They hardly meet their emotional or material needs and expect the children to be individuals of their own; raising or fending for themselves. Such parents are those with substance abuse or mental health problems or those who feel that they are overwhelmed by many other issues going on in their lives. Their children perform poorly academically and in other aspects, and will exhibit a lack of self-esteem.
The above discussion summarizes the ways of parenting for children. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages for the children. The best way to raise children is by authoritative, followed by permissive parenting. Authoritarian and neglectful often result in children who have self-esteem issues, thus being unable to control their lives.
References
Coste, B. (n.d). The Four Basic Parenting Styles Taken a Step Further: - Reviewing Diana Baumrind's Model with the Tool of High Awareness. Retrieved from http://www.positive-parenting-ally.com/four-basic-parenting-styles.html
Macklem, G. L. (2007). Practitioner's Guide to Emotion Regulation in School-Aged Children. Springer Science & Business Media.
Morin, A. (2016, June 21). 4 Types of Parenting Styles. Retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/types-of-parenting-styles-1095045
