|
|
 |
|
The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
 |
Start Talking!
Know! How Your
Parenting Style Measures Up for Success
10/4/2017
In a previous parent tip, Know! – What Kind of Parent Are You? we broke
down the four basic parenting styles. Based on the descriptions, you
were hopefully able to determine your overall parenting style. Now is
your chance to see how your parenting style measures up for your
child’s success.
To review, the four basic parenting styles are: Authoritarian,
Authoritative, Permissive and Uninvolved.
Now let’s look at how significantly and uniquely each style affects a
child’s healthy growth and development, including their decision-making
and risk taking.
The Authoritarian Parent: Children of authoritarian parents tend to be
rule followers amongst adults of authority, however, researchers say
these children may become hostile or aggressive toward other youth;
they are known to be fearful and shy, associate obedience with love,
have lower self-esteem, lack spontaneity, and many times become
accustomed to lying to avoid punishments. These youth are at an
increased risk for substance use.
The Authoritative Parent: In general, children of authoritative parents
tend to fare the best. They are usually better at recognizing safety
risks and tend to make better choices; they know they can turn to their
parents for non-judgmental advice and guidance; they are typically
happier kids and more successful in school. These children are the
least likely to engage in risky behaviors, including drinking, smoking
and using other drugs, and are the most likely to grow into
responsible, confident adults who feel comfortable sharing their
opinion.
The Permissive Parent: Though unlikely to admit it, children actually
crave structure, because knowing what is expected of them and being
held to it actually creates a sense of safety. Permissive parenting
does not provide that. In fact, it creates the opposite effect.
Research published in the scientific Journal of Early Adolescence
showed that these teens are three times more likely to engage in heavy
underage alcohol consumption - likely due to their lack of
consequences. These youth tend to be insecure and self-centered,
lacking self-discipline and self-control; they are more likely to clash
with authority and typically do not perform well in school.
The Uninvolved Parent: This type of parenting is dangerous and
damaging, but not always intentional. Many times, this parent has
mental health issues or substance misuse problems, or they may be
overwhelmed in other areas of their lives, like work, paying bills and
managing the household. Sadly, however, there are some moms and dads
who simply do not care about being a good parent. Regardless of the
reason, these children typically struggle academically and socially,
have low self-esteem, and a high risk for substance misuse and other
problem behaviors.
Experts agree that the Authoritative parenting style creates the
healthiest environment for a child to grow and develop. Many parents
have a blend of styles, but the key is for the parent-child
relationship to be high on warmth, communication and expectations. If
you find your parenting style to be lacking in one area or another,
take the opportunity to tweak it. If you feel overwhelmed, do not know
where to begin or could just use some support, do not be ashamed to
seek professional help.
Remember to follow Start Talking! on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Learn how to get the drug prevention conversation started at
StartTalking.Ohio.Gov.
|
|
|
|
