The 4 educational styles: how do you educate your children?
The parenting strategies that parents follow can have a psychological impact on their children.
The vast majority of parents want the best for their children and tend to act in good faith, thinking that they are doing the right thing when it comes to raising them. The educational style we use when raising a child can have both a positive and a dramatic effect. can have both a positive and dramatic effect on the development of these youngsters, and your disciplinary strategies will influence the type of relationship you establish between you and your child.
At the same time, parenting styles exert a great influence on a child's mood, behavior and well-being both now and in the future.
There are four parenting styles. In this article we will deepen in its characteristics and we will explain its differences..
History of educational styles
Educational styles, also called parenting styles, have been extensively studied by the developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind.. In the early 1960s, Baumrind carefully researched more than 100 preschool children, observing them and interviewing their parents. His studies gave rise to what we now know as educational or parenting styles.
Baumrind also studied four dimensions that he considered important: warmth and nurturance, disciplinary strategies, communication style, and expectations of maturity and control.. In turn, in 1966, Baumrind identified three parenting styles: warmth and nurturance, disciplinary strategies, communication style, and maturity expectations and control. identified three parenting styles: authoritarian, democratic and permissive.and published a text called: Child Care Practices Anteceding Three Patterns of Preschool Behavior..
According to the author, distrustful and unhappy children had controlling and unloving parents.The dependent ones had warm parents who did not set limits, and the self-sufficient and happy ones had demanding but communicative parents. A few years later, in 1983, Maccoby and Martin expanded on Baumrind's work and developed the fourth parenting style, the indifferent or neglectful style. developed the fourth parenting style, the indifferent or neglectful style..
The 4 parenting styles
Each parenting style has different characteristics. Below you can find a list that will help you understand the 4 parenting styles.
1. Authoritarian style
The authoritarian style is based on severe disciplinewhere parents set the rules and expect children to follow them without exception. It is also known as military parenting style, because the parent employs very strict rules in the family, encouraging obedience.
Parents with this parenting style are controlling, give little support to their children and are prone to punishment.They may use violence, threats and even violence. If the child breaks the family rules, he/she will be severely punished without listening to his/her explanation.
Although authoritarian children follow the rules most of the time, they often develop self-esteem problems, since their parents have never taken into account their needs or their feelings and emotions. They can also become hostile or aggressive children, who do not know how to make decisions and solve problems.who do not know how to make decisions and solve problems. Several studies suggest that children raised with this style of education have a good academic performance, but are at risk of developing poor social skills, so it is considered a negative parenting style.
2. Permissive style
The permissive style may seem like a good parenting style because many parents use it thinking that it will make their child happier; however, in the long run, it can have serious emotional consequences. Permissive parents try to protect their children from harmful incidents, they do not set any standards for behavior.They do not set any standards for their children's behavior and are very tolerant.
These parents are characterized by being lax and having little control over the situation.. Studies show that children who grow up in environments with this parenting style tend to perform poorly academically, and may exhibit more behavioral problems, as they are likely to disregard authority and rules. They often have low self-esteem and may experience sadness. They tend to become moody and spoiled.
3. Democratic style
This is, without a doubt, one of the healthiest parenting styles parenting styles. Democratic parents tend to be firm but also supportive and nurturing. They set limits, but also consider the infant's point of view. In other words, they set rules that they expect their children to follow; however, they consider that there are exceptions to these rules.
Democratic parents tend to explain the consequences of their children's negative behavior rather than apply punishments. They also they use positive reinforcement for good behaviors and may be more willing than authoritarian parents to use reward and praise systems.
Studies show that children raised with this style of parenting tend to be happier and more successful. tend to be happier and more successful. They are often good decision-makers and enjoy higher self-esteem, and as adults they are more responsible and comfortable expressing their opinions.
4. Negligent or indifferent style
This style is characterized by the fact that parents are not involved in their children's upbringing and, therefore, do not provide the necessary support or guidance to their children. They do not show any affection or discipline and, in short, they do not pay attention to their children.
Research shows that this is a very damaging style for young people, and the behavior of parents behavior has an overall negative impact on their children's development, both now and in the both now and in the future.
Indifferent parents put their children's emotional health and self-esteem at risk, and cause serious psychological problems in different areas of their future life, e.g., interpersonal relationsfor example, interpersonal relationships or work.
What are toxic parents like?
The role of parents is fundamental for the development of their children. While the vast majority of parents want the best for their children, unfortunately, some parents make parenting mistakes that can be detrimental to their children's growth and emotional health. make parental mistakes that can harm the growth and emotional health of their offspring. of their offspring.
- If you want to know what toxic parents are like, you can read this article: "Toxic parents: 15 characteristics that children hate".
(Updated at Apr 13 / 2024)