5 Essential Parenting Styles: What Every Parent Should Know

Written By Raheela Shahid & Taaha Ahmad

Introduction

There is probably no role that is more influential in life than that of parenting; everything is dependent on it, like the manner of how a child behaves, their emotional well-being, ability to socialise, the performance of the child and etc.

The outcome is that parents unconsciously talk about various modes of parenting, hence the type of emotional environment that is created in the family. To become a more conscious parent and develop your parenting style, as well as make sure that you can support the growth of a child, you should learn more about the five core parenting styles, and then you will be able to adjust to the needs of your child and aid their development.

This parenting step-by-step guide is going to acquaint you with all the basic parenting styles, give some real-life examples and comparisons and offer some practical ways of how to create a normal, healthy, and nurturing habitat to raise your young one.

What Are the 5 Essential Parenting Styles?

The parenting styles may be arranged into two variables that include warmth and responsiveness, and demandingness and control. The classic styles identified in Diana Baumrind’s seminal research were four, and another style, positive parenting, was discussed as an emerging style that combines the best practices. Before starting, look into a visual comparison of Parenting Styles.

Table 1: Comparison of Parenting Styles

Parenting Style	Key Traits	Example – Parents’ Behaviour	Common Child Outcome
Authoritative	Warm, firm, communicative	Sets bedtime, listens to child’s needs	Confident, responsible
Authoritarian	Strict, high expectations	Enforces rules, little discussion	Obedient but less self-assured
Permissive	Indulgent, few boundaries	Allows sweets, avoids saying “no”	Creative, but impulsive
Uninvolved	Detached, little support	Unaware of the child’s activities	Withdrawn, struggles in school
Positive Parenting	Encouraging, empathetic	Praises effort, guides calmly	Cooperative, emotionally aware

1. Authoritative Parenting: The Balanced Approach

Authoritative parenting is a moderate approach where one maintains a disciplinarian with warm and supportive stances. Parents are sensitive to the needs of their children and are strict at the same time. They allow independence, yet they are not hands-off.

Life Example:

Once, at the same time, Sara had this soccer game going and homework to be done. Dad came in and straightened out her schedule and spent time with her as long as she was getting her homework done. Sara was proposed by her mom to take a little break and realise that effort counts more than being perfect when she got frustrated with something.

Child outcomes:

Well, it turns out that children whose parents are authoritative tend to come up with good self-respect, effective emotional regulation skills, good social skills and performance at school.

2. Authoritarian Parenting: Strict and Controlling

Authoritarian parents tend to be the dictatorial type of parents, wherein it is either the parents’ way or no way at all. They establish strict regulations, and they require that you abide by them without questioning why. Not much rapport and give and take, and when things go wrong, they resort to punitive action to maintain control.

Life example:

For instance, take Ali’s father. He leaps on Ali to get his chores done immediately and gives him a tongue-lashing as soon as he dares to be a little late by saying, “I am not interested in any excuses.” Most of the time, Ali maintains his silence in fear of getting into trouble.

Child outcomes:

What does this do to Ali? He may even appear to be civil and submissive on the outside but inwardly he is struggling with low self-esteem, anxiety and in some cases may either be rebellious or becomes antisocial.

3. Permissive Parenting: Spoiling and Permissive

The permissive style of parents exudes warmth and acceptance and limits the rules and restrictions to a minimum. They avoid conflict and, in effect, allow their children to dictate.

Life example:

Laila falls asleep late at night, and her mother, Laila, allows her to choose her bedtime; her mother also tends to agree with her requests, without any questions, to have some sweets or extended time watching the screen. There is hardly any discipline and conflicts? They do not usually show up, yeah.

Child outcomes:

Children are happy and full of creativity, it is true, but with little sense of self-control, they will tend to resist authority and will do what they feel.

4. Uninvolved Parenting: Detached and Neglectful

The distant parents are emotionally detached and they are not very sensitive to the needs of the child. They are also very uninvolved in education and do not support in an emotional way.

Life example:

Ahmed’s parents work long hours and rarely ask about his day or attend school events. Ahmed often completes homework alone and feels lonely.

Child outcomes:

Children are at risk of attachment horror, academics, problems, and emotional unpleasantness.

5. Positive Parenting: Empathy and Encouragement

Positive parenting is about empathetic parenting, positive praise of the child and intervention with knowledge and care. It exchanges a sting with a solution.

Life example:

When Maya lost in one of the games on the board, her mother sat by her side, listened to what she had to say about her losing and how she got to learn something and how she got through it.

Child outcomes:

Children develop strong emotional intelligence, resilience, cooperative behaviour, and confidence.

The influence of the style of parenting on the development of your child.

• Emotional health: Affectionate and receptive parenting helps emotional stability and self-assurance.
• Academic performance: Having authoritative and positive parents, children tend to be good in school.
• Social skills: expressive styles that exhibit empathy and communication demonstrate to the children how to interact socially.
• Resilience: Children are ready to deal with adversity as a result of supportive discipline and encouragement.

Effective Steps to Think and Take to Develop Your Parenting Strategy                                  

1. Find out your style:

Consider how you handle the day-to-day parenting, and how you regard this factor as warm and welcoming, firm and strict, laid-back, or generally hands-off?

2. Strike a balance between kindness and discipline:

Strive to have concrete rules, but remain empathetic. Strict and positive parenting gives a better result for the child.

3. Consistent communication:

Reasons that underlie rules and discuss with your child how he/she feel.

4. Adjust to the age of the child:

The thing that works with the toddlers may alter with your child as they reach adolescence.

FAQ-s

Q1 Can the parent use more than one style of parenting?

Well, yes, a lot of parents mix them up accordingly to the situation, child personality, and setting. Children are often helped by the ability to be flexible.

Q2 What is the best kind of parenting?

In studies, authoritative and positive parenting has been preferred due to its balancing of emotional, social, and educational performance.

Q3: What are the ways to determine my parenting style?

Pay attention to how you react to punishment and emotional circumstances. Quizzes and reflection on parenting style can aid.

Q4: Is it possible to change parenting style as time goes by?

Yes. A lot of parents change their style as they grow and change their children’s needs.

Q5: Is there an effect of culture on parenting styles?

Absolutely. The values held by a culture result in differences in statements of warmth, discipline, and autonomy.

Conclusion

But each parent is an individual with their own unique blend of warmth, rules and direction, and deciphering these five key parenting styles is what can completely alter the manner in which you raise your child. By committing to being reflective, being constantly in communication, and keeping things well balanced, you are, in turn, raising confident, resilient, and ready to take on all that life throws their way.

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Which style is then most in your character? Click here to tell us about it in the comments!