Photo Credit: Adobe StockFind Out The Most effective Parenting Style For Your Kids Saloni Sakaria June 18, 2019 Parenting 3428 The opportunity to be a parent comes with endless responsibilities. It is exciting at the same time the challenges are not numbered. You want to ensure that you raise a happy child who is well mannered and grows up to be a responsible human being. The kids party entertainers approve that the kids’ entertainment businesses have grown more than 10 times in the last decade. It means the parents leave no stone unturned when it comes to giving their children the best of everything. Authoritative, permissive, authoritarian and neglectful are all parenting styles that in one way or the other have been applied in many households. The overarching is, does it matter when choosing the parenting style to employ? The answer to this question is affirmative. Parenting styles make a significant contribution to child development. The four parenting styles are categorized according to demandingness, which is the extent of control of a child’s behavior and responsiveness. It refers to the degree of acceptance of the child’s developmental and emotional needs. Whereas there is no actual manual to parenting, some knowledge of the following four parenting styles helps in raising your child as a productive, responsible and happy member of society. Authoritative parenting Statistics show that it is the most extensively used style of parenting, also the most effective. Household rules and planned bedtime are some of the characteristics of households under authoritative parents. Such parents also have defined behavioral expectations. In as much as it may seem strict, they also encourage open communication with their children. Is it not unusual to have someone you have guaranteed trust with listening to you without judgment? It shows support. Authoritative parenting breeds a generation with high academic performance, high self-esteem, lower misconduct, less mental disorders, and excellent social skills. Different styles of parenting accommodate different children. However, it is essential to note that specific behaviors in children can be corrected by applying individual parenting styles. For instance, a kid fond of misbehaving can be raised well by focusing more on being an authoritative parent. Permissive parenting When you happily fulfill the request to set up a home bowling alley you are from one of those permissive parents categories. Also known as indulgent parenting, permissive parenting is another parenting style that is prevalent in many modern homes. Permissive parents are always responsive and evasive of confrontation. They are also loving and nurturing. The rules set are usually very few and may seem optional. Children often get bribed to get things done. The parents are more considerate about the child’s mood than they ought to be. Permissive parenting advocates being a best friend to the kids rather than being a parent, it is imperative to know that children want and need boundaries. Freedom without consequences has life-long damaging repercussions. It incubates egocentric, impulsive and individuals with poor social skills. It is essential that permissive parents pay more attention to setting boundaries at the same time being responsive before they miss the boat! Authoritarian parenting Yes, it does sound authoritative! It is quite the opposite of authoritative parenting. Authoritarian parenting is also referred to as strict parenting. These parents are strict and more often, not open to discussions on set rules. They expect regulations to be followed no matter what. They rarely have answers to why they want things done a certain way. Punishment is their way of making children do what they ask. Authoritarian parents expect blind obedience and are unresponsive. The outcome is the direct opposite of being an authoritative parent. Studies have shown that children raised by strict parents have lower academic performance and low self-esteem issues. They also develop poor social skills and mental illnesses. Delinquency is also a tendency exhibited by those children. Authoritarian parenting can be balanced by fostering communication and explaining to children why specific actions are not okay. Children under a strict parent tend to misbehave when the parent is out of sight, making it not so helpful. If establishing communication becomes difficult, one could involve a therapist to help out. Neglectful parenting While other parenting styles can be integrated with a few traits from others and work well, neglectful parenting is so far the worst. Such parents are cold and unresponsive; they act indifferent to severe issues affecting their children and have no rules whatsoever. Neglectful parenting is characterized by parents being away from their children for really long periods, unaware of the company their children keep, making excuses for their unavailability and worst still inability to cater for their children’s emotional and physical needs. This type of parenting risks the child being damaged by having neglectful parents. It results in drug and alcohol abuse, lawlessness, impulsive behaviors and worse still, suicide. Children from neglectful households also have a hard time establishing relationships in the future. It is crucial to seek help when aspects of neglectful parenting are identified to prevent further damage. With the information above, as a parent, you will be in a better position to pick a parenting style that will be more effective for your kids. You are not limited to applying one parenting style: you can combine the different aspects of the four parenting styles for raising a great individual. SHARE THIS POST