Topic 2 Parenting styles
This is very often considered one of the best parenting styles that is adopted by parents who establish clear rules and standards (How different parenting styles affect a child’s mental health, n.d.). Parents who adopt this style also foster an environment of respect and trust, in which both parents and children openly communicate, and parents are very careful in allowing their children to talk to them about their feelings at any given time (ibid.). One of the best advantages of the authoritative parenting style is the formation of a robust foundation.
Visual taken from Canva.com
The most distinctive characteristic of authoritarian parents is strictness (ibid.). Parents who adopt this style set specific rules and never break them. They ask their children to obey the rules without questioning them, and therefore, they do not dedicate time in explaining the importance of these rules (ibid.). Moreover, disobedience is punished with very little affection. Insecurity is one of the most significant disadvantages of this parenting style (ibid.). Children who grew up with authoritarian parents tend to have lower self-esteem and they often question their self-worth (ibid.). Finally, these children may develop depression and anxiety at an early age.
Visual taken from Canva.com
Parents who adopt a permissive parenting style rarely establish specific rules for their children to follow (ibid.). They also expect less from their children. Moreover, when they set rules, they rarely apply them. As a result, children with permissive parents tend to be riskier and more impulsive since they are aware of the fact that their parents will not punish them (ibid.). However, permissive parents are nurturing and open to communication. They act like more like a friend rather than a parent (ibid.). Remember, the effects of permissive parenting are not always good.
Visual taken from Canva.com
Uninvolved parents are perhaps the least restrictive of the four categories of parenting styles. These parents often neglect their children, and they are not involved in their upbringing (ibid.). They lack in good communication skills and do not usually set rules or standards to obey. In extreme scenarios, they may not even provide their children’s necessities (ibid.). Therefore, children growing up with this parenting style have low self-esteem and self-control. They often develop behavioural issues into adulthood (ibid.).
Visual taken from Canva.com
These four parenting styles indicate that a child’s mental health is affected by the way their parents raised them (ibid.). Parents who set and enforce boundaries in a healthy way have positive effects on their children. On the other hand, parents who do not sufficiently care and nurture a child’s overall wellbeing can unconsciously damage their children’s psyche (ibid.).
