4 Types of Parenting Styles
Different parenting styles can have different degrees of success in raising children. These include permissive, authoritative, and uninvolved parenting styles. Regardless of the differences, parents all want their children to be happy, healthy, and successful. Below are four types parenting styles that most parents use in raising their children. Continue reading to learn more about each style and how to apply it in your parenting.
Demandingness
Psychologists have identified four parenting styles: authoritative and permissive, responsive and demanding. Demandingness is characterized by high expectations and a high degree of control, which is often tempered by warmth. Parents with an authoritative style are usually warm but firm and provide guidance and reason behind their orders. This is the most common type of parenting and most children who have it are raised with high expectations.
These studies show that children who were raised in an authoritarian home do moderately well at school and are not involved in problematic behavior. Their social skills and self-esteem are also lower than those raised in an indulgent household. Both permissive and authoritarian parents have generally positive outcomes. As it encourages positive self-concept, demandingness can be a positive parenting style. However, it can also lead to increased parent-child conflict.
The four parenting styles most parents use are demanding, permissive and authoritative. Often, people have a tendency toward either one, but may have a mixture of all four. This is normal, but it is possible to shift between styles depending on the circumstances. Ultimately, the type of parenting style you use will affect how your children develop in their relationships with other people. So, what’s the difference between demandingness and responsiveness?
Responsiveness
Research has shown that children who are sensitive to their parents can be protected from toxic stress and chronic diseases. Children with nurturing parents are less likely to develop hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and early death. Children of responsive parents also have more positive family relationships, which are crucial for their mental health. Healthy parent-child relationships improve children’s self-esteem, social skills, and self-worth. Research has shown that stress and sensitivity have been linked to lower rates of developing autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, or cancer.
Parenting studies have shown that parents who adopt the same parenting style can be compared to determine which one is most effective for their children. However, it is important to remember that the different parenting styles have a different effect on the development of children. To determine the best parenting style for your family, ask yourself if you are responsive or demanding. Luckily, the research has provided some useful insights into both parenting styles.
However, authoritative parents are more concerned with their child’s emotional needs. They are both authoritative but not rigid and create a nurturing atmosphere while setting strict limits. While authoritative parents tend to be more authoritarian, authoritative parents prefer stability and consistency. These parents value their children’s growth and accept that mistakes can be made. They support their children’s decisions as they grow.