Developmental psychology is a field that pertains to understanding the development of human growth, why, how and to what extent. Therefore, developmental psychologists have also naturally been perceiving the involvement of parents in the child’s life. The easiest form of inference is through observation of different approaches people use to parent their children. Parenting Styles are the methods or practices of raising a child by the parents based on their own behaviour, beliefs and values. It encompasses a varied set of rules or regulations set in the home for a child’s development by the parents. Good parental guidance is necessary for the child’s ideal emotional development to occur.
A child’s development is crucial in many ways- be it emotional well-being, physical development and social interactions. It becomes the responsibility of the primary caretakers who are most commonly parents’ to form an optimal environment for these milestones to be achieved. Further, the parents’ involvement in the child’s development is pivotal and important to ensure a healthy environment for the child and his/her growth.
The understanding of the different styles of Parenting was pioneered by Diana Baumrind, a psychologist in the 1960s, who identified three main styles of Parenting- Authoritarian, Authoritative and Permissive. This typology was assessed based on the two main dimensions of parental behaviour: demandingness and responsiveness. Further, Martin and Maccoby also suggested including the Uninvolved/Neglectful type based on their research. It is important to note that these types were assessed based on extensive research and common characteristics found but are not the only form of parenting styles that can be labelled. These types aim towards a common understanding of the differences and do not necessarily label the approach used by the parents towards their children.
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Authoritarian Parenting Style
The authoritarian parenting style is explained by Baumrind as the type of parenting where there is high demandingness and less responsiveness. It is characterised by parents who are keen on rules and regulations and do not respond to the needs of the child. For example, the parent does not understand the child’s need to make new friends and spend time with them but rather forces the child to study instead of playing with his/her friends. They define this as knowing what’s best for the child and do not hear their needs. This causes the child to detest the parents’ behaviour and causes them to potentially rebel in the future against the parents’ wishes.
Authoritarian parents are also commonly known as strict parents who place high expectations on their children, they have rigid rules and regulations and do not compromise whatsoever regardless of the needs and wants of their children. Enforcing rules is also done through verbal threats, physical control, shaming, punishments and many more. It psychologically affects the child leading him/her to question their way of life and also potentially causing mistrust towards their parents.
Authoritative Parenting Style
The Authoritative Parenting Style, according to Baumrind, is the ideal type of parenting to be enforced onto the children. It is characterised by high demandingness and also high responsiveness. This type of parenting allows the child to express their opinions and also encourages rules and norms to be followed. It is the most effective method for the child’s development given the autonomy the child can achieve. An example of this style would be when a parent allows their child to spend time with their friends and also expects their homework of the day to be completed before they leave. This creates the opportunity for the child to abide by the rules and regulations demanded by the parents and also believe they can make friends and interact with other people. It encompasses a sense of responsibility within the child to make sure both the parents’ and their wants are achieved.
Authoritative Parenting also allows the child to have a better understanding of themselves and others. When a rule is broken, authoritative parents do not enforce an arbitrary or violent punishment but rather help the child realise their potential mistake through other forms of punishment. This is necessary for the child to understand their shortcomings and avoid the consequences in the outside world.
Permissive Parenting Style
According to Baumrind and her dimensions, the Permissive Parenting Style is characterised by low demandingness and high responsiveness. It leads to the child having to do whatever they want to without any sense of rules to be followed. It is especially difficult for the child to understand autonomy and form boundaries when they are not disciplined by their parents accordingly. An example of Permissive Parenting would be when a child is allowed to play with their friends whenever they want to and no demand for homework is provided by the parents. This creates a lack of responsibility a child can take and makes them understand that they can do whatever they want with no consequences to be faced.
Permissive Parenting Style creates a sense of entitlement in the child which may not be ideal for the outside world they live in. Though Permissive Parents are very warm, caring, and nurturing and think that their child is their world, this gives off somewhat of a friend figure to the child rather than a parent figure which is extremely crucial for their development. Children raised by Permissive Parents may often struggle with decision-making, impulse control, boundaries and self-discipline.
Uninvolved/Neglectful Parenting Style
The Uninvolved/Neglectful Parenting Style was included in the typology by Martin and Maccoby’s suggestion. This has been characterised following the dimensions as low demandingness and low responsiveness. The uninvolved parents make few to no demands of their children and are more than often neglectful of what is happening with their children. They show little to no interest in their child’s life and are often dismissive and indifferent to their child’s needs and wants. An example of the Uninvolved Parenting Style is when the parents do not have any interest in their children’s activities, be it their want to spend time with their friends or doing their homework.
The Neglectful Parenting Style often includes a lack of supervision of the children’s activities, and failure to tend to emotional needs which can have detrimental effects on the child’s physical health, psychological well-being, cognitive abilities, social development, academic abilities and many more. The lack of emotional attachment also causes the child to develop deviating forms of emotional maturity.
Parenting Styles’ impact on children varies from academic success to emotional maturity. It encompasses the foundation for healthy development as a human and optimally induces the potential of having a positive outlook. The Parenting Styles are directly related to the outcome of the children and their approach to life. While the understanding of Parenting Styles is important for the development of the child, other factors may also influence the growth which include environmental factors like peer group, extended family, temperament, work environment and many more. However, Parenting Styles have been observed as one of the primary factors in a child’s development.
To have a set criteria for parenting the child is not necessary. Parenting can also be considered as a subjective approach that certainly differs from person to person. This article only aims to educate the general types that have been inferred through research. There may not be certain types but there is always a “good” parent that people can be to their children. The basic principles of a “good” parent would be to listen actively to the child’s needs, to involve themselves in their child’s life, to demand their own rules towards their children, to accept their children as whoever they are, and to passively supervise their child’s actions. Therefore, it is essential to be a “good” parent to witness the healthy development that a child embraces.