Different Parenting Styles: Authoritative Parenting

The Best Parenting Philosophy

The authoritative parenting style is one of four parenting styles discovered by Diana Baumrind, a psychologist. We have covered the other styles in our other Parenting Help articles - you will also find lots of practical advice on how to raise the perfect child.

Authoritative Parenting Characteristics.
What is So Special About It?

Authoritative moms and dads give unconditional love to their children. They are warm and approachable. They are involved in their children's lives and show that they care. They listen to their children with warmth and empathy.

However loving they may be, they also know the importance of setting limits and guidelines. They expect their children to be responsible and behave according to their age. However, instead of relying too much on punishment, these parents use encouragement and praise to motivate their children to be good.

That doesn't mean that authoritative parents don't punish their children. When they do have to punish them, the punishment is fair and provides a learning experience for the child.

Parents who live by this philosophy know that children who are coerced into obeying will resent it. They therefore show their children the rationale for rules. They even allow their kids when they are mature enough to participate in creating rules. They also encourage their children to make their own decisions.

Authoritative Parenting Consequences on Children

They are self-confident and have high self-esteem. They believe in themselves and therefore, will probably succeed in whatever they embark on. They are independent at a young age because of their belief in themselves and because of the encouragement given by their parents.

They have positive relationships with everyone around them because of their good behavior, self-confidence and ability to feel empathy for others. They, however, will not mix with the wrong crowd such as the neighborhood gangsters - the gangsters' philosophy of hurting others is repugnant to them.

They rarely have emotional difficulties because of the strong love and support given by their parents, and because they are well-adjusted. They know they can always turn to their parents for help and advice when they have a serious problem.

These children can also cope with adversity and stress because of their resilience and problem-solving skills. They set goals for themselves and strive toward them with determination. They are interested in learning and have a healthy dose of curiosity. But their curiosity is tempered by self-control. They therefore are not likely to experiment with anything dangerous like drugs.

All in all, they are everything any sane parent would want their children to be.

This is the End of this Article.

Who doesn't want to be a perfect parent? That's what we are here for - to enlighten parents on positive parenting. Please click Parenting Help for practical parenting advice based on research by psychologists.

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