LET’S TALK ABOUT PARENTING STYLES

We all parent differently, but did you know there are four distinct parenting styles that we are all a part of? Here we’ll walk through each of them and highlight which one is best.

Many parents feel anxious in the understanding that the manner in which they raise their child will have a powerful impact on how their little one grows and develops. We all have an idea of how best to raise children but there are four general parenting styles that most people settle into: Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive and Uninvolved. It should be noted that there is no ‘perfect’ parenting style although it is generally believed that Authoritative is the most well-rounded. Let’s have a look at all four of them and how they work.

AUTHORITARIAN

Authoritarian parents have a tendency to act as if they are always correct and that their children should do as they’re told. If a child objects to a rule and the parent’s response is to shut them down and not listen because they’re ‘in charge’, then that is an authoritarian approach. There is zero room for the child to negotiate with the parent and the parent expects the child to obey the laws without protest. If the child encounters a problem, they’re often not consulted when coming up with a solution. The parent presumes that they know best and don’t need any input from their child.

Children of authoritarian parents are often punished if they do something wrong. Instead of being taught how to make better choices, they get penalised for making a mistake. The result of this is children that obey rules carefully but they are far more likely to struggle with self-esteem issues later in life. They will be overly afraid of making mistakes or expressing how they feel.