What Is ‘Authoritative Parenting’ (And Is It The Best Parenting Style?)
Maybe you’re folloing an ‘anything goes’ style of parenting, or maybe you’re going for intuitive, or you’re leading with an iron fist raising a little soldier. Whatever parenting style best describe you – if you are looking for a method that takes the best of all other styles, try authoritative parenting.
The name throws some people off, but authoritative parenting is about combining a bit of everything: while parents set firm rules and boundaries that they enforce, they also raise children so that they can meet these standards without unnecessary stress.
The method and its name come from the psychologist Diana Baumrind, who studied preschool children and found that their parents mostly fit into three parenting styles authoritarian, authoritative and tolerant. Studies show that children who were raised in an authoritative or tolerant style performed best.
How a child is raised can affect their mental and even physical health well into adulthood (no pressure).
Authoritative parenting is a powerful combination of parental empathy and high but realistic expectations. According to experts, this connection has great potential to help children prosper emotionally, socially and academically.
How Does Authoritative Parenting Work In Practice?
They listen to children and support them when they overcome life’s obstacles, even when they make mistakes. But they also set clear boundaries and require consistency!
They rely on positive parenting and instead of repressive measures, they gain the respect of their children by modeling healthy relationships. They help children find solutions to problems, but at the same time promote their independence.
It’s easy to say, but how to do it?
If you want to try authoritative parenting on your own children and don’t know how to start, stick to the following points:
1. Get To Know Your Child
Find out what your child needs in particular. Each one is different and each has different needs! Some kids need time for things, others don’t like stress, others want to do everything their own way. You can talk to children about the emotions they experience and use graphical representation of emotions to better express your feelings.
2. Think About Yourself
About how to be firm in complying with the set rules, how to apply them and how to increase demands non-violently but naturally. Take into account the age of the child and try not to feel under pressure, but rather as in a safe zone, where the rules serve the benefit of all. Don’t forget that unconditional love and support come first!
3. Rules Just For Something
Avoid getting involved in the small details of everyday life. When adults hear that they should try to be consistent in following the rules, they often feel or worry that they should have rules for everything. In fact, it’s okay to have firm rules about some important things, such as safe road behavior, but you can be too lax about how your child is doing in the room. It’s his zone and his decision-making, it’s not about his life.
4. Think Of Maturity
It is important that your expectations correspond to the development of the child. Sometimes parents project their own adult ideas about how and what they should do for their children, but the children don’t really understand it yet.
Therefore, try to make them really understand what you want them to do and be able to do it. Otherwise, they will mechanically do what is asked of them, but without a deeper understanding, there is no point. It is important that the child’s brain is prepared for tasks and requirements.
Benefits Of Authoritative Parenting Round-Up
Children that are raised in an authoritative style of parenting have been demonstrated to have the best outcomes of all the parenting styles.
The following are just a few of the many advantages of this strategy for children:
- They are more compassionate, kind, and welcoming.
- It’s possible that they’ll be more resistant to peer pressure.
- They grow in responsibility, self-control, and the ability to make appropriate judgments on their own.
- Adults, other people, and rules are all respected by them.
- They are more socially accepted at school, have fewer social problems with peers, and get along with teachers.
- They have more secure bonds to their parents and have better connections with them.
- They’re not anxious or worried about who’s in charge because they know who is making decisions to make sure they are healthy and happy: Mom and Dad.
