A parent’s style in raising their children has a big effect on how the child feels about themselves. What parents should understand is their parenting style should support healthy growth and development. This is because the way you interact and discipline them will stay and influence them for the rest of their lives.
Researchers have identified that there are four types of parenting styles.
- Authoritarian
- Authoritative
- Permissive
- Uninvolved
Each of these parenting styles has its distinct characteristics that will be discussed below.
Authoritarian Parenting
The common characteristics of this style of parenting are:
- Believing that kids should be seen and not heard
- Firm hold of “my way or highway” rule
- Parents who don’t take their child’s feelings into consideration
In simpler words, authoritarian parents believe that kids should follow the rules they’ve set. The famous saying, “Because I said so,” is commonly heard from this type of parent. There’s no room for negotiation and obedience is strictly practiced.
Aside from that, they also don’t allow kids to get a say in matters such as problem-solving or decision-making. Instead, they make the rules and enforce these to the children, disregarding a child’s opinion.
Authoritarian parents also use punishments rather than properly disciplining their children. So instead of teaching their children to think and make better choices, they resort to making the little ones feel sorry for making a mistake.
Children with authoritarian parents usually follow rules most of the time. However, their obedience has pending consequences.
For one, children might become aggressive. Instead of honing themselves to make better choices in the future, they focus on the anger they feel towards their parents. Second, authoritarian parents are strict and would often punish their children, but if this continues, the children might grow to become very good liars to avoid this.
Authoritative Parenting
The common characteristics of this style of parenting are:
- Putting a lot of effort into creating and maintaining a positive relationship with your child
- Explaining to your children the reasons behind your rules
- Enforces rules and consequences but putting your child’s feelings into consideration
Authoritative parents have rules and also uses consequences, however, they also take the children’s feelings into account. They don’t invalidate the kids’ feelings, all the while making sure that the children understand that the adults are in charge.
This type of parent puts all their time and energy into preventing behavior problems before they start showing. They use positive discipline techniques, such as praise and rewards systems, to reinforce good behavior.
This style results in happy and successful children, who are good at decision making and can evaluate risks on their own.
Permissive Parenting
The common characteristic of this parenting style are:
- Setting the rules but rarely enforcing them
- Consequences are often not given
- Thinking the children learn best when there’s little interference from parents
The main trait of a permissive parent is leniency. A parent that only intervenes when there’s a serious problem.
A permissive parent is forgiving and believes in the “kids will be kids” logic. If they happen to use consequences, they don’t stick to those all the time. They give in if a child begs or lessen consequences if the child promises to be good.
This type of parent is usually more of a friend than a parent. They encourage their children to communicate with them, talking to them about their problems and concerns, however, they do little in discouraging poor decisions or bad behavior.
Children who have permissive parents don’t take authority and rules seriously. They also exhibit low self-esteem issues and are often sad.
Aside from that, they are also prone to health problems, such as obesity, because permissive parents struggle to limit junk food consumption, as well, dental cavities because parents don’t practice good habits like brushing their teeth.
Uninvolved Parents
The common characteristics of this parenting style are:
- Not asking your child about school or homework
- Not knowing where your child or who they are with
- Not spending much time with the child
Uninvolved parents are what they are, uninvolved. They have little to no knowledge of what their children are up to, and there are fewer rules enforced. The child does not receive much guidance, nurturing, or parental attention.
What happens with uninvolved parents is that they expect children to raise themselves. They don’t invest time and energy into meeting the basic needs of a child. They tend to be neglectful, however, it’s not always intentional.
A parent who suffers from mental health issues or substance abuse problems tends to not be able to care for a child’s physical or emotional needs.
Uninvolved parents lack knowledge about their child’s development and for some, they are simply too caught up with work, financial thoughts, and managing a household.
Children with this type of parents tend to perform poorly in school. They also have frequent behavior problems are rarely happy.
