Parenting Styles
...sbehavior from their parents. Some rebel against their parents. The rebellion usually happens during the teenage years, when they are big enough to fight back. They can grow up feeling lost, without guidance and could lack self-confidence in making decisions since all decisions have been made by the parent. Another style of parenting is the permissive style. It is the opposite of the authoritarian style. Permissive parents have few rules and no consistent limits. They give in to their children. If parents make a rule, they fail to enforce it. This causes chaos in the child’s life. In a permissive family, the child is in charge. You may treat your child as an adult by letting them make their own decisions. They have few restrictions in their daily lives. Your child may have control over meals, sleeping times and his behavior. Permissive parents say things like “He’ll go to bed when he is tired.” And “She likes to eat cake for breakfast.” Since children who grow up with permissive parents are used to doing whatever they want, they have trouble getting along with others. Some say they are spoiled and selfish. These children might have future problems dealing with rules and regulations, and they often make decisions with consequences they are not prepared to accept. Parents who are permissive adopt this style have concerns that their children will not like them if they set limits or rules. Children without limits have no since of responsibilities, have trouble with relationships and the rights of others. Other reasons parents choose this style is because they are under a lot of stress and do not have the energy to make rules and enforce them. The third style of parenting is the democratic style. These parents believe in giving their children choices. They balance their demands with rewards. They have simple rules and reasonable consequences for breaking the rules. Parents spend time discussing with their children the reasons for the rules. The parent-child relationship is based on respect and routines. The parent is demanding of the child but give in return. The parent is open to discussion and negotiating, giving the child firmness and self-control. Children who live in a democratic style home learn social skills and their self-image is a positive one. This type of parenting sees both parents and children as equals, not in the sense of sameness but in value. Giving choices balances freedom with responsibilities. From an early age children can learn the consequences of their choices and that their decisions count. When children feel some ownership in their lives they are more cooperative. This style of parenting is like a backbone. The spine has to be strong enough to hold the upper body upright but can bend and flex as the situation warrants. For example, ...