Parents ought to consider many things before choosing a preferred parenting style. Despite the fact that many styles may seem right, there are particular ones that work best for particular children. The relevance of a parenting style could be based on the futuristic outcome it derives. Some of the things to consider when choosing one are: the parents’ and child’s situation, the personality of both parents, the environment, among other factors.
One style is the authoritarian/strict parenting, where the parent(s) use high levels of discipline to bring up their children. The parent herein has high compliance and conformity expectations to their directions and rules. Much is expected from the child without a general explanation of the reasoning behind the expected boundaries and rules. Here the child will be forced to blindly obey the parents’ instructions, and there is no reward for a good behavior. Children brought up this way lack confidence and have a low self-esteem (Platz, Ronald & Robert, 1994). Their social lives tend to be poorly developed, characterized by depression, anxiety, and sometimes obesity.
Another parenting style is the indulgent or permissive parenting, whereby parents give their children freedom to choose and make decisions by themselves. The parents who adopt this parenting style have very few child behavioral expectations. They are accepting and nurturing, thereby becoming highly responsible for the child’s wishes and needs. They do not really require their children to behave appropriately or even regulate themselves. Children brought up this way tend to have behavioral problems. In most cases they become selfish, spoilt, and immature. This style is however good for children who are reserved or withdrawn, as it helps them come out of their cocoons.
The other style is the authoritative parenting. This one has the most benefits because the parents and their children work together regarding the set rules and discipline issues. It teaches children to be cooperative with adults since they are also given a chance to develop their decision making skills (Alizadeh, Abu, Abdullah, & Mansor, 2011). These children become great achievers and more competent socially. This is the most preferred style because it produces children who are self-reliant and more independent. It results where both parents exhibit high levels of responsiveness. The parents here understand their children’s feelings and teach them how to regulate them.
The last style is the uninvolved/neglectful parenting style, where parents take no responsibility in the growth and development process of their children, and they set no rules. Here, the children and the parents both exhibit contradictory behavior. These children often try to provide for themselves and they attempt as much as they can to halt their dependence on their parents. It makes them feel independent and mature beyond their actual age and maturity. The children brought up this way often feel alone (White, Hayes, & Livesey, 2005). They learn behavior from their preferred sources, mostly the television and peers. They feel neglected which makes them become rebellious and they usually perform poorly in their lives.