Essay Comparing Maccoby And Martin's Four Parenting Styles

There are many parenting styles out there, but most can be classified by Maccoby and Martin’s four parenting styles; authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful. It is believed by most people that authoritative parenting, where parents are demanding and responsive, is the best parenting method, raising kids to be happy and successful. But it is just a style, not a detailed guideline; then how could that be achieved?
First of all, parents should know and act accordingly to their child’s development stage. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, every child goes through 4 stages of intelligence development. For example, telling a newborn that he or she needs to wait in order to eat because his or her mother is busy does not make any sense. Similarly, expecting a toddler to think in other’s shoes is just as absurd according to
For example, a mother might scold her child for not behaving when they are alone, but not when the child’s father is home. If this continues, the child gets confused about what’s right or wrong, and it might even encourage bad behavior, depending on the circumstances. Not only in scolding, should parents also have to be consistent in rewarding the child for good behaviors. This may be difficult for parents, but doing what you’ve sad creates a better, more predictable environment where children can learn what brings good or bad.
Third, parents should try to be their child's role model. The first people that children interact with is their parents. Parents are the blueprints of behavior for children from young age, and a good example of this is language. Children learn how to speak by observing their parents and try to speak like they do. But by the phrase “role model”, I'm not saying that parents should try to be perfect in any way, but should at least try. Sometimes you may feel that you have done something wrong. What matters then is how you act