Authoritative parenting style
Demands and high responsiveness characterize the authoritative type of parenting style. Parents have high expectations for their children. Parents offer their children with resources and support to succeed. In this type of style also, parents listen attentively to their kids and provide warmth and love in addition to fair discipline. Some of the scientists have viewed the authoritative style as the best. Kids raised in this style have strong self- regulation and are principled. The parent tries to direct a kid's activity in a rational and issue- oriented manner. The parent exerts firm control in case a child diverts his or her behavior. In this style, a parent sets standards for future conduct (Baumrind, 1968).
Authoritative style of parenting occurs among middle- class households and linked to most successful children outcomes in the world. Amongst the virtues that describe children raised in this manner are, socially accepted, well behaved, self -reliant and independent. Authoritative parenting occupies the ground between, being too strict and giving freedom to kids. Altogether there are usually unique differences between authoritative, permissive and authoritarian parenting. Authoritative parents enforce rules.
Democracy
Characteristics of an authoritative parent
An authoritative parent has several unique characteristics. He or she takes the child's wishes and feelings into considerations before he or she asks them to do anything. Additionally, authoritative parents give morale to children and help them speak out their feelings. They would try to help their children when they are upset. He or she explains the reason she or he has expectations from the child. They respect their child opinion and though different from theirs, they encourage their children to express them. Parents who are warm and responsive promote very secure attachments and protect the children from developing internalization problems. When these parents talk about thoughts and feelings, the children relationships are strengthened, and they become good mind readers. Also very important to this style is that children raised in this manner cannot indulge in drugs and youth delinquency. Kids from the authoritative style are more attuned with parents than their colleagues (Kaufmann et al., 2000).
Authoritarian parenting style
In this type of parenting, the rules are more important than the relationship between the kid and the parent. In this style, the parents not only expect high standards of behavior but they demand it from the kids. Having high standards of behavior is a good thing. However, the style of keeping standards all the time hurts further the relationship between the kid and the parent. Unlike in the authoritative style, the parent, many times fail to explain the reason for setting the rules. In fact, the parents never engage in any conversation about the rules set. The authoritarian style of parenting causes a long- term effect of development on the child (Kaufmann et al., 2000).
The nature of relationship
There is usually an element of fear within the kid in this type of parenting style. The child must comply with rules, but not set out of love. Therefore, in this setting, the child obeys due to fear of facing punishment and withholding affection from them. Gradually the kids feel that they gain respect depending on what they do and not what they are. Children raised in this manner always complain of rules. When the kids grow up, they require guidance and assistance. The kids end up on seeking assistance from an outside party and not from their parents, however, wish their parents would be. The relationship with God also changes the same way. The kids begin to see God the same way they see their parents. While the kids are determined to obey God, the relationship is out of fear or punishment and not acceptance. The reality is that real change comes out of love and acceptance and not punishment (Williams et al., 2009).
Limitations and strengths
Children who grow in this type of parenting experience long -term emotional consequences. They have poor, social skills, experience anxiety, high rate of depression and poor social skills. Therefore, the kids can follow rules often and not take an initiative. They obey rules other than become leaders. However, the authoritarian parenting has its advantages. It enhances safety when parents create rules that protect their children. The firmness by the parents creates mutual respect between the kid and parents. In this style, the parents set clear goals which the kids are not expected to violate. Children raised in this manner are usually responsible citizens. They are usually aware that freedom is limited and hence find it hard to commit a crime (Marsiglia et al., 2007).
References
Baumrind, D. (1968). Authoritarian vs. authoritative parental control. Adolescence, 3(11), 255.
Kaufmann, D., Gesten, E., Santa Lucia, R. C., Salcedo, O., Rendina-Gobioff, G., & Gadd, R.
(2000). The relationship between parenting style and children's adjustment: The parents'
perspective. Journal of Child and family studies, 9(2), 231-245.
Williams, L. R., Degnan, K. A., Perez-Edgar, K. E., Henderson, H. A., Rubin, K. H., Pine, D. S.,
& Fox, N. A. (2009). The impact of behavioral inhibition and parenting style on
internalizing and externalizing problems from early childhood through adolescence.
Marsiglia, C. S., Walczyk, J. J., Buboltz, W. C., & Griffith-Ross, D. A. (2007). Impact of
Parenting styles and locus of control on emerging adults’ psychosocial success. Journal of
Education and Human Development, 1(1), 1-12.
