Which Parenting Style Do You Follow?

Parenting styles differ between each parent, and some are known to be more successful than others. Through studying the ways adults interact with their offspring, most parenting methods can fall in one of the four following categories: authoritarian, indulgent, authoritative, and uninvolved. Read on to see the characteristics of each one. Doing so may assist you in developing successful parenting skills.

The authoritarian parenting approach is definitely the most strict. The parents that practice this technique closely resemble army commanders. They prefer to give commands for their children to complete with no questioning. The do not like feedback from their kids. The environment of an authoritarian parent is very structured and follows a set of rules that are never meant to be broken or even bent. Boys that grow up in this method tend to be aggressive outside the home when faced with frustrating situations. Girls, however, tend to give up easy. Most children who are brought up in this style tend to excel in school as it is generally expected of them.

An indulgent parenting style is one in which the kids are allowed to get away with many things they do, whether they be good or bad. There may be rules set, but that are frequently broken without consequence. Most indulgent parents do not to struggle or anger their children, so instead, they turn the other cheek and allow children to do as they wish. Indulgent parents may be seen as being non-directive, which is not taking in real role in the parenting of their children, or democratic, which entails being involved in their kids' lives, but doing it as more of a "best friend" role than parent.

Authoritative parents seem to find a good median in being both demanding and lenient at the same time. While they do expect good behavior from their children, they will be responsive to feedback and welcome questioning. The children that grow up with this style of parenting seem to be the happiest, as they parents are responsive to their accomplishments while appropriately punishing their wrongdoings. These kids seem to be able to control themselves more effectively, especially in frustrating situations. Authoritative parents allow their children to express themselves, and do not take offense to their boys playing with Barbies, or their girls playing with Matchbox cars.

The fourth, and probably least desirable, parenting style is the uninvolved parent. This method is simply what the name implies. Uninvolved parents do not show any signs of wanting to be a parent. They do not demand anything from their children, nor are they responsive to their children's behavior. In many cases, these children are left to watch themselves at an early age, as they tend to be neglected often. Children under this technique grow up too fast, and may experience attachment and trust issues as they grow older.