Experts believe that there are four different parenting styles. In our last article we discuss two parenting style and here we focus on remaining two styles and the consequences they leave on kids.

PERMISSIVE PARENTING

Permissive parents, sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, make very few demands of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control.?

Other common characteristics of permissive parenting:

• Permissive parents prioritize being their child's friend rather than being a parent.

• They are warm and attentive but tend to set few rules, rarely enforce rules, and have few expectations.

• They allow their children to make their own decisions.

• According to Baumrind, permissive parents are responsive to their children but not demanding. Because they do not expect mature behavior from their children, kids may struggle to set limits for themselves. On the positive side, this can help kids become more self-sufficient and independent. On the downside, it can contribute to poor self-regulation.

• Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than a parent.

Effects of Permissive Parenting

Permissive parenting often results in children who rank low in happiness and self-regulation. These children are more likely to experience problems with authority and tend to perform poorly in school.

UNINVOLVED PARENTING

In addition to the three major styles experts proposed a fourth style: uninvolved or neglectful parenting. An uninvolved parenting style is characterized by few demands, low responsiveness, and very little communication.

Other characteristics of the uninvolved parenting style:

• While these parents fulfill the child's basic needs, they are generally detached from their child's life.

• They might ensure that their kids are fed and have shelter but offer little to nothing in the way of guidance, structure, rules, or even support.

• These parents may seem indifferent, unresponsive, and dismissive.

• In some cases, these parents may reject or neglect the needs of their children. They may also be physically or emotionally abusive.

• A 2019 study found that children raised by neglectful parents tend to struggle in school, experience more depression, have worse social relationships, have difficulty controlling their emotions, and experience more anxiety.

Effects of Uninvolved Parenting

Uninvolved parenting styles rank lowest across all life domains. These children tend to lack self-control, have low self-esteem, and are less competent than their peers.

The Impact of Parenting Styles

Research suggests that parenting styles can have a range of effects on children. Some of the areas of a child's life that may be affected in the present and in the future include:

Academics: Parenting styles can play a part in academic achievement and motivation.

Mental health: Parenting styles can also influence children's mental well-being. Kids raised by authoritarian, permissive, or uninvolved parents tend to experience more anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.

Self-esteem: Kids raised by parents with an authoritative style tend to have strong self-esteem than kids raised by parents with other styles.

Mixing Parenting Styles

The parenting styles of individual parents also combine to create a unique blend in each family. For example, the mother may display an authoritative style, while the father favors a more permissive approach. This can sometimes lead to mixed signals. To create a cohesive approach to parenting, parents must learn to cooperate and combine their unique parenting styles.

ADVANTAGES OF AUTHORITATIVE PARENTING

Because authoritative parents are more likely to be viewed as reasonable, fair, and just, their children are more likely to comply with their parents' requests. Also, because these parents provide rules as well as explanations for these rules, children are much more likely to internalize these lessons.

Rather than simply following the rules because they fear punishment (as they might with authoritarian parents), the children of authoritative parents are able to see why the rules exist, understand that they are fair and acceptable, and strive to follow these rules to meet their own internalized sense of what is right and wrong.