Parenting Support
Being a parent carries a lot of responsibility, and the process has its ups and downs.Some common challenges parents face includes providing consistent care, attending to the needs of an infant or toddler, maintaining adult personal relationships, money issues, feeling rushed, scheduling, and lack of sleep…just to name a few. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development states parents are responsible for keeping children safe, listening to children and spending time with them, providing affection, order, and consistency, setting and enforcing limits for children, monitoring friendships children make, seeking help for any medical or behavioral concerns
Parenting experts in the world of psychology recognize these four parenting styles:
Authoritarian - parents who are strict and demanding. They are rarely flexible. Punishment is used to maintain obedience. Little room for open communication between parents and children.
Permissive - parents who are nurturing, and loving, yet avoid conflict with their children. Lack of enforced rules, which is harmful for children who need a routine.
Neglectful - parents who spend little time with their children and not care for their basic needs. This is rarely practiced on purpose and can be damaging to kids long-term.
Authoritative - authoritative is often confused with authoritarian, due to the similarity in spelling and pronunciation. The truth is, the two couldn’t be more different. This AUTHORITATIVE style is considered the most effective form of parenting. High expectations and goals for children are balanced with an understanding of their limits. These parents are willing to communicate flexibly. This can make parent-child communication easier.
Knowing which style you are can help you approach parenting in a healthy way. Parents can also identify which style you would like to be.
Note: Jaclyn Yuki Birdsall, M.S., LMFT 133678 is not responsible for the content, claims or representations of the listed sites.