Effective Parenting Styles

Effective Parenting Styles COM/150

Abstract
The passion of people’s reactions to questioning parenting styles are just below the nukes of religion and politics in explosive potential. Here we discuss what the basic styles are and what styles most parents tend to fall. We will look at constructive and deconstructive parenting styles as well as see which option tends to be the best. Where do you fall? Is that style the best your family or are you still seeking guidance? Effective Parenting Styles Although parenting is a never-ending debate, many parenting styles have been studied to find what elements are constructive and which are destructive. There are roughly four major parenting styles identified when researching effective parenting. Each parenting style can differ and change as children grow older, or change based on each individual child. These groups defined below have a major emotional impact and development impact on a child.

Permissive Parenting
Permissive parenting can come off to be more of a friend rather than a parent; these parents don’t often discipline their children. Parents who choose to parent their children this way rarely have control over their children and may be lacking self-discipline themselves. Although these parents are still very loving and nurturing to their children, this parenting style may be a bit too laid back to raise an obedient child with self-discipline. Authoritarian Parenting
In the authoritarian style of parenting, the parents set strict rules for children to follow and set high demands that these rules are to be obeyed or they be punished end of story. The most common aspect of this authoritarian style of parenting, is the parent neglects to give the child reasoning to the rules they have set, “Because I’m the father that’s why” is the perfect example of this. Parents in this style don’t feel they need to have to explain reasoning to their children and often come across as an aggressor. Communication between parent and child is non-existent.

Authoritative Parenting
This parenting style has much in common with the authoritarian style of parenting. The authoritative style parenting is a bit more self-ruled and flexible for each disciplinary incident. The authoritative style has the same set rules and standards as authoritarian, but parents in this style are more expectable to reason with these children and dig deeper into the issue at hand and discuss a resolution then jump straight to discipline. This style does discipline and sticks to the rules, but has more of an emotional and nurturing way of dealing with the issue. Uninvolved Parenting
Uninvolved parenting style is just that. Parents of these children have no receptiveness or awareness to their children’s behavior. These parents are disconnected from their children on most emotional levels and just fill the basic living demands of food, water, shelter, etc. There is low to none communication, discipline, or nurturing between parent and child. In some extreme cases, parents don’t even meet the child’s basic living demands.
When it comes to parenting styles we find two major deconstructive styles out of the four listed above, uninvolved parenting and permissive parenting. Children raised with the permissive styles generally experience more problems with school, authority, and are found to have self-esteem issues. This child hasn’t had much authority from parents so they feel that they shouldn’t have to take any from anybody else including the law. This can majorly effect education if the child has no consequence for not finishing homework or sees no reason education and guidance are important to learn. The results of the uninvolved parenting style can lead to children being less competent in adult life, un-successful, have problems dealing with self-control, and also are found to have major self-esteem concerns. Children raised in these environments have little to no control over emotions and actions since proper guidance was never shown to them. These children learn and grow from what they know and seek acceptance from outside sources. Too often enough these children fall into gangs and drugs to seek this acceptance from these groups. Many of these children drop out of school at an early age and suffer from poor reading and writing skills.
After reviewing the parenting style definitions above, the most logical and constructive parenting style seems to be the authoritative parent. Numerous studies have been taken on these four parenting styles and have concluded “Authoritive parenting styles tend to result in children who are happy, capable and successful” (Maccoby, 1992. These studies also show that the Authoritarian parenting styles “generally lead to children who are obedient and proficient, but they rank lower in happiness, social competence and self-esteem.” (Cherry, n.d). Giving your children the extra attention and guidance while setting reasonable boundaries seems to be the best fit for parenting. Every parenting style varies. You may have a father who is authoritive, the mother is more permissive; the key to successful parenting is communication and balance as a family. Communicate with your children about why they did what they did. Guide them and show them how it can be done better the next time around, and most of all make sure to make to show your child love and acceptance. Punishment needs to happen like committed as consistency is also very important, but following through with rules and the punishment allows your child to grow and learn from the experience, and to avoid doing them again. Conclusion
All children need a good parent with an effective parenting style. Who the child grows up to be is a direct look at who the parent is.

References
Maccoby, E.E. (1992). The role of parents in the socialization of children: An historical overview. Developmental Psychology, 28, 1006-1017.

Cherry, K. (n.d). About.com - Education- Psychology. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/parenting-style.htm

References: Maccoby, E.E. (1992). The role of parents in the socialization of children: An historical overview. Developmental Psychology, 28, 1006-1017. Cherry, K. (n.d). About.com - Education- Psychology. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/parenting-style.htm