Parenting Styles Diana Baumrind

The four primary parenting styles are Authoritarian, Permissive, Authoritative, and Uninvolved parenting styles. Authoritarian parents are very controlling and strict with their children. They expect obedience form their children and don’t tolerate expressions of disagreement. In contrast, Permissive parents are more relaxed and provide inconsistent feedback. They require little of their children and don’t see themselves as responsible for their children’s behavior. They also don’t set limits or control over their children. Authoritative parents are firm and set clear and consistent limits for their children. While they tend to be strict they show love and emotional support for them as well. These parents tend to reason with their child as to why they should behave a certain way. These parenting styles also encourage the child to be independent. The fourth parenting style is uninvolved parenting style. These parents show interest in their children and display indifferent or rejecting behavior towards them. They detach emotionally and only see themselves as providers of materials goods such as shelter, food, and clothing.

They are both demanding and responsive. They exert control by setting rules, but especially with older children,they encourage open discussion and allow exceptions” . This parenting style leads to children who “have the highest self-esteem, self-reliance, and social competence”. Children of authoriatative parents tend to be well rounded, they have better social skills than children with authortatrian or permissive parents. “Studies suggest the authoritative parenting style, which blends warmth and support within an established disciplinary framework flexible enough to accommodate a child’s developmental needs, is a keystone of the psychological wellness of children and adolescents

Diana Baumrind is a researcher who focused on the classification of parenting styles. Baumrind’s research is known as Baumrind’s parenting typology”. In her research, she found what she considered to be the four basic elements that could help shape successful parenting: responsiveness vs. unresponsiveness and demanding vs. undemanding. Parental responsiveness refers to the degree to which the parent responds to the child's needs in a supportive and accepting manner. Through her studies Baumrind identified three initial parenting styles: Authoritative parenting, authoritarian parenting and permissive parenting. Baumrind believed that parents should be neither punitive nor aloof. Rather, they should develop rules for their children and be affectionate with them. These parenting styles are meant to describe normal variations in parenting, not deviant parenting, such as might be observed in abusive homes. In addition, parenting stress can often cause changes in parental behavior such as inconsistency, increased negative communication, decreased monitoring and/or supervision, setting vague rules or limits on behaviour, being more reactive and less proactive, and engaging in increasingly harsh disciplinary behaviours.

The authoritative parenting style is the “In between,” of both the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles, and has a “Give and take approach.” Authoritative parents are very involved in their children’s lives: children help around the home and in decision-making processes, and homework is supervised. This approach to parenting raises children who are responsible, well behaved in school, have a high self-esteem, and good problem solving skills along with decision making skills. The authoritative approach to parenting has very positive effects on children’s lives presently, and in the future. (Marsiglia, C.,Walczyk, J., Buboltz, W., Ross, D. 2007).

Authoritative parents “set standards, but also give their child choices. They recognize the good things that their child does, but they do not overlook the bad things. These parents are more confident and nurturing. They set standards that their child can meet. Usually, this type of parenting leads to a positive self-image in the child (Black, 2008). Permissive parents “do not control their children, it is more like the other way around. There is no discipline, and the child grows up knowing they can get whatever they want. When the parent does try to discipline, the child doesn't take it seriously. These parents give in easily and avoid confrontation whenever possible” (Black, 2008). In general American parents raise their children to have an individual personality, and to be independent from a very young age. “Firm disciplines are directed toward the infant and these are gradually relaxed as the child grows” (Suzuki, 2000).

Authoritarian parents normally do not interact with their children in positive ways and usually install fear into the child. Punishment is usually harsh and given without explanation. Children with authoritarian parents are often anxiety- ridden. Studies have shown that these children have lower self- esteem, show high aggressiveness and typically do less well in school. Permissive parenting consists of high nurture and acceptance, but these parents lack structure and control. These parents look at their children as “free spirits” who need space to learn and grow. Permissive parents are usually inconsistent with discipline. Children with permissive parents normally are impulsive and irresponsible. These children also lack any self- control since none was expected (Sclafani 47).

Authoritative parents are supportive of their children and this style is deemed the most beneficial and effective parenting style used today (“Pros and Cons”, n.d.). The style creates a healthy environment for children and this style helps foster a productive relationship between children and their parents. Children with authoritative parents tend to have a high self-esteem. Furthermore, communication between parties is excellent, and that is what makes it a popular style for parents. The authoritative parenting style creates clear rules, but there is leeway and exceptions within the rules. There are no obvious negatives with this parenting style. However, a mischievous child may try to take advantages of his parents that use this style. Danny’s parents would talk to him about how the ball broke the window, and they would suggest that next time he plays in another area of the yard. The authoritative style is the most preferred style in society

Authoritarian is only one of three parenting styles that Baumrind details. The other two styles include authoritative and permissive. These two variations in parenting styles were seen in the way my relatives and friends’ parents approached parenting. I observed how the parents of my close friend handled parenting. They maintained control over aspects in my friend’s life like school and chores but allowed the freedom to make decisions in areas of social activities. The most striking difference between my parents and my friend’s is the use of reasoning and the expression of warmth. Her parents provided justification behind their commands and or punishments while maintaining a sense of love and affection. The bond and love that is evident between my friend and her parents is not as strong in the relationship between my parents and me. The style that her parents exhibit is known as authoritative because of their focus on some parental control, use of reasoning and warmth. While on the other hand, my cousins raised their children in a completely different manor using a permissive parenting style. While they provide obvious love and affection towards their children, they fail to exert control and regulations. They did not have any real sense of rules in their household. Their children tend to act and do whatever they wanted with little to no repercussions.

In my recent psychology class we studied parenting styles. They are grouped into three different categories; authoritarian, authoritative, and overly permissive. This gave me insight into a couple of different programs I’ve watched on television.Authoritarian parents are parents that set strict rules to keep order and they usually do this without much expression of warmth and affection. “They demand obedience to authority.” (Coon & Mitterer, 2010, p. 91) When the child questions the parent, "Because I said so," is often the response. Parents tend to focus on bad behavior, and not positive behavior, and children are scolded or punished for not after the rules. Authoritative parents help their children learn to be responsible for

Parenting style can influence whether a child succeeds or merely survives. The authoritative parenting style may be an effective parenting style in theory, however like communism, it is not as effective in practice. Children need to learn through friendships and develop social skills. Being able to connect to the outside world expand the mind and imagination, giving the children skills that help them think critically. On the other hand, being a permissive parent can also damage the child’s development. While letting the children succeed on their own, they provide the child with a lack of drive and motivation to achieve.

Research has shown that children typically replicate the behavior of their parents. Parenting styles come in multiple categories such as authoritative, neglectful, permissive, and authoritarian. In which each parenting style has a different effect on each individual. While one child may succeed with a certain parenting style another may not. Authoritative parenting incorporates high responsiveness and highly demanding. In contrary neglectful parenting lacks responsiveness and is uninvolved in the child’s life. Likewise, neglectful parenting is permissive parenting in which has low demands. Furthermore, the authoritarian parenting follows a more military-like way of teaching. With that, the authoritarian style of parenting consists of high expectations and little to none feedback on child's progression. In all each parenting style such as authoritative, neglectful, permissive, and authoritarian shapes a child differently.

Over the years studies have found patterns in parenting styles and their effects on children. "Parenting isn’t only a collection of skills, rules, and tricks of the trade (Lloyd, Carol. 2012)”, it defines who you become, reflects your culture and represents values important in a family. Parenting style has a long term impact on a child’s development, success and outlook on life. The three styles of parenting are permissive parenting/hands-off parenting , authoritarian parenting, authoritative parenting .Studies revealed that the authoritative parenting style results in the highest success rates for their children in school and in social aspects, thus creating a stable child (Lloyd, Carol.2012).

Parenting styles vary from different cultures, upbringings, and backgrounds. The value of parenting can be more essential than the amount of time spent with the child. Through the different kinds of parenting, a child’s character can be built upon. Hence, the parent is the first and intimate influencer in the child’s early developmental stages. Two significant parenting styles I have observed from parents in the mall.

hinder a child’s ability to understand that their actions can lead to consequences for other

Authoritative parents are warm, responsive, attentive, patient, and sensitive to their child’s needs. When it comes to control, they make reasonable demands for maturity and consistently enforce and explain them. They also allow their children to make decisions in areas where he/she is ready to do so (Berk, 2014). This parenting style often utilizes the learning and cognition concept of shaping in order for the children to learn or modify their behavior. For example, when D’Angelo was first learning how to eat with utensils, his authoritative mother would praise him even on the failed attempts. Over time, however, she expected improved performance before offering praise. When children are in a position to receive warm, responsive, attentive, patient, and sensitive feedback about good behavior, then they will continually strengthen that behavior. In general, the extent to which we are successful or unsuccessful provides the necessary reinforcement for gradual modifications of the behavior (Powell et al.,