Parenting Styles: What's Your Parenting Style?

Different people always have different ideas about how they want to bring up their children. There are several people who follow how their own parents brought them up, for example, while others get most of their advice from their friends. Other people simply read parenting books, while others take local classes. Now, although nobody can really claim to have all of the answers to perfect parenting, scientists and psychologists now know which parenting practices tend to be the most effective in resulting in positive outcomes for today's children.
By True Schools Staff

In general, child rearing is usually separated into three different groups of parents:

The Authoritarian Parents

Authoritarian parents are those who always need to take control over their children. In other words, they set very strict rules that need to be followed, so that they can keep order around the house. A lot of the time, these rules are set without a lot of affectionate or warm feelings associated with them. These parents are usually quite critical when it comes to their children, as well, and they make their children obey them without giving them much of a chance to make their own decisions.

Authoritarian parents do not always explain the reasons behind their rules, either. They also focus more on a child's bad behavior instead of their good behavior, and they usually punish or scold their children when they break the rules, too.

Because of this, children who have authoritarian parents never learn to understand rules or how to think on their own, in general.

The Permissive Parents

Permissive parents are those who give their children full control over their own lives. They usually do not have any set rules; but when they do, there aren't many or they aren't consistently enforced. Routine isn't something that exists around the house, either, so that the children can feel free. They don't have expectations or boundaries when it comes to how their children behave, either, and they willingly accept their children's behavior in a loving and warm way, no matter what.

Permissive parents usually give their children a lot of choices, even when they aren't ready to make big choices yet. They accept their children's behavior, no matter what, and do not make any comments about who beneficial their behavior could be or not. This is probably because they think that a person's behavior cannot be changed or they simply do not want to mess with their children's personal development.

The Democratic Parents

Democratic parents are those who teach their children about responsibility and consequences early on by providing reasonable and clear expectations and explanations for their rules. They monitor how their children behave, as well, to ensure that they always follow the required expectations and rules - but in a loving and warm manner. A lot of the time, they also point out their children's positive traits and reinforce them instead of concentration on the bad things.

Democratic parents always give their children choices, depending on their personal abilities. Toddlers might get to choose their own clothes, while older children might get to choose their own fruits. Democratic parents guide their children through teaching as opposed to punishing.

What is Your Parenting Style?

Studies show that the best results for children usually come about when parents follow a democratic parenting style. Children who have permissive parents usually act out by being aggressive, while those who have authoritarian parents usually end up being submissive, compliant and self-conscious all their life.

Some parents are somewhere between two of these parenting styles. But, either way, you have to think about the things your children need to learn. Most importantly, you simply have to remember that any of these parenting styles won't work without a loving connection between you and your child.