Parenting Styles Can Be Generally

¶ … Parenting styles can be generally divided into three main categories: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. Authoritarian parents are heavy-handed, doling out discipline but often without consistent boundaries and without emotional nurturing. As a result, they can be unresponsive to their children, do not communicate well, and demand order without explanation. Permissive parents can be considered somewhat the opposite of authoritarian parents. Deemphasizing discipline, permissive parents can coddle their children. Like authoritarian parents, permissive parents neglect two-way communication with children by offering emotional support without structure. Authoritative parenting combines the best features of authoritarian and permissive parenting. The authoritative style blends the emotional warmth with the willingness to use discipline. Research shows that the authoritative style can help children develop maturity, independence, and self-esteem. Some researchers also include a fourth parenting style: neglectful. Neglectful parents are extremely self-absorbed and uninvolved in their child's life.

Parenting Styles

Research shows that parenting style has a strong impact on the child's psycho-social development, especially in the area of self-esteem. Parenting styles are generally discussed as falling into three main categories: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. These three styles yield differential results on children in terms of their self-esteem, their social relations, and their academic performance. The most consistently positive results in each of these areas are associated with the authoritative parenting style. Both permissive and authoritarian parenting styles can lead to behavioral problems in children.

Authoritative parents use reasonable and consistent discipline to help their children mature. Punishments are explained respectfully and logically and thus, parent-child communication remains strong. Because authoritative parents are responsive to their children's needs, they show emotional support and nurturing. At the same time, authoritative parents use discipline judiciously.

Unlike authoritative parents, permissive parents shy away from discipline. They are overly indulgent to their child's whims. Permissive parents tolerate a wide range of behaviors that would not be tolerated by either authoritarian or authoritative parents. Although permissive parents can be emotionally nurturing, they often erect barriers to parent-child communication because of not paying closer attention to the developmental and maturation needs of the child.

Authoritative parents do not show much warmth toward their children. They can be unresponsive and emotionally detached, demanding a "be seen, not heard" environment. Discipline is heavy-handed but unlike authoritative parents, authoritarian parents do not explain their punishments or communicate with their children. However, they do not coddle their children like permissive parents do and do not tolerate emotional outbursts.