There are four types of parenting styles: Authoritative, Authoritarian, Indulgent, and Neglectful.

Authoritative

This parenting style is when parents are caring in the sense that they nurture their children patiently. They are also parents who are responsive and are there when their child needs help. They are also parents who are supportive of their children even when it comes to small accomplishment. They are the parent that cheers their child on.

This type of parenting usually raises children who are social, energetic, joyful, self-reliant, self-controlled, curious, collaborative, and goal oriented.

Authoritarian

This parenting styles has parents who usually have high levels of parental control and low levels of responsiveness. Just like authoritative parents, authoritarian parents expect high standards from their children. This could be good, however, it depends on how parents try to achieve this. Parents who have authoritarian parenting styles do not usually explain to their child clearly why they expect them to do something. They often use phrases like, “because I sad so.” This just confuses the child and disappoints the child even more. They are more about orders. This kind of parenting usually uses harsh punishment.

This type of parenting usually raises children who are not really independent and have very low self esteem. These children experience more behavioral problems in school and outside of school.

Indulgent (Permissive)

This parenting style has parents who are loving and warm, however, they are too lenient and relax. They are on the opposite end of authoritative and authoritarian parents. These parents fail to set rules and order. In addition, they also fail to keep an eye on their children’s activities and often let them do whatever they like. Even though this sounds like a great thing for the children, this parenting style is one of the weakest for it doesn’t teach a child how to act.

This type of parenting usually raises a child who is rebellious, dominant, aggressive, manipulative, impulsive, and also has both low self reliance and achievement.

Neglectful (Uninvolved)

This parenting style has parents who are not really there for their child. They may be there physically, but not mentally. Sometimes they are not even there physically most of the time. These are parents who are often rejecting.

This type of parenting usually raises a child who is insecure and who may seek other role models, who often times are not good ones.

We must not forget that we were kids once and we also did some things that were not right. However, we learned from those experiences and so can our kids.

Know that in order for discipline to work, discipline needs to be:

• given by an adult who the child trusts and has a bond with;
• Relate, close to the behavior needing change;
• Seen as ‘fair’ to both the parent and the the child;
• developmentally and temperamentally appropriate; and
• Uplifting, ie, inspiring enough for change in behavior.

It is also very important that the parent learns to be more patient. Children most of the time do not know what they’re doing and have no mal intentions. It is also important that a parent does not react right away. If the parent reacts right away, the reaction may not be the best way to treat and teach the child. Parents who react by yelling at their child are only teaching them that the best way to deal with problems is by yelling.The parent should take time to breathe and take in what the child did and to think about solutions to the problem. This way the parent will be less likely to react in anger and more on reason.

Another way the parent can deal with a misbehaving child is by diverting the attention of the child to something that is not disruptive. For instance, if the child is coloring on the walls, the parent should direct their attention to a cool coloring book or even to a whole new activity.

The occasional spank is also a good way to deal with a misbehaving child. Although, this can be seen as unethical their has been studies that show that an occasional spank does not negatively affect a child. Instead, it helps the child understand that what they did was wrong. This doesn’t mean that a parent should abuse this and hit their child frequently. This would be just wrong and studies have shown that extreme use of physical punishment does not work. It just teaches kids that the way to react to things is through aggression.

Ultimately, it is important that a parent is involved in their child’s life, while also giving them some freedom.

Chavis, A. (2013). A brief intervention affects parents’ attitudes toward using less physical punishment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(12), 1192–1201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.06.003

The authors of this article looked at a study that measured how parents feel towards spanking as a disciplinary method. The study measured this through a scale by the name of AttitudesTowards Spanking (ATS). This scale will show the actual use of parents physical punishment since it is correlated. The researchers found that parents who are taught how to discipline a child will be less likely to physically punish their child than those who are not taught. Moreover, the authors of the article state that it is possible to teach parents to not use physical punishment. Because of these findings, the authors believe that primary care services are important and should be implemented if one is a parent.

Grusec, J. E., Danyliuk, T., Kil, H., & O’Neill, D. (2017). Perspectives on parent discipline and child outcomes. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 41(4), 465-471.

The authors of this paper focused on the different ways of disciplining a child. They also gave information of different discipline methods throughout the years and how they have changed. They highlight how in the past physical discipline was more acceptable and how now it is seen as unethical. This article also emphasizes the effects different discipline methods have. They mention how the best disciplinary method is the use of negative consequences, such as reasoning as well as some use of power assertion, that can decrease unacceptable behavior. This paper also explains how each child is different and learns differently, so different disciplinary methods can work.

Kuppens, S., Ceulemans, E., & Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management. (2018). Parenting Styles: A Closer Look at a Well-Known Concept. Journal of Child an Family Studies.

Researchers have conducted many different studies in the past about parenting. This paper compares the studies in the past and digs deeper into parenting styles and how parenting styles can be simultaneously used together. This article also highlights how these joint parenting styles affect a child’s development. The study looked at a sample of 600 families raising children of the ages 8-10. These studies showed that joint parenting styles happen naturally because there are two parents. Additionally, the paper focuses on four congruent parenting styles: an authoritative, positive authoritative, authoritarian and uninvolved parenting style. This research also showed which of these parenting styles worked together and which ones did not. The paper highlights that the positive authoritative parents had the most favorable outcome, while having authoritarian parents gave the least favorable outcome.

Larzelere, R. (2000). Child discipline. BMJ, 320(7248), 1538–1540. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7248.1538/a

The authors of this medical journal shed some light on physical discipline. They mention how harsh physical discipline can be harmful to the child physically but also mentally. In addition, they also mention that a child can learn that, that a way of solving problems would be to use physical aggression. However, the authors mention that an occasional smack is not harmful, they mention that no evidence has shown otherwise. The authors also give a few techniques on behavior control. They highlight that the best way to control a child’s behavior is through an authoritative parenting style combined with that of positive encouragement.