Let's Talk About Parenting

Last but not least we have the most balanced parenting style; let’s talk about authoritative parents! 

Out of all the styles we’ve talked about, Authoritative Parenting is the most common and well balanced style of them all. These parents have control on their child and give the right amount of emotional bond/support. These parents are rather flexible and reasonable depending on what the child’s needs are. There are clear lines as to what can be debated and what cannot be debated; for example, bed time is not negotiable but what time the iPad goes to sleep is. It’s all about being flexible with your child in this style. Let’s talk about the pros and cons!

Pros

Child is typically well rounded

A good balance between fun parent and mean parent

Emotional bond is strengthen 

Cons

Child may have adaptability issues with rules

Good evening parents!

I was recently informed about a show on Netflix that depicts a future with certain types of technology developed. It’s called Black Mirror and I definitely think you should watch the episode Arkangel as it easily depicts a helicopter parent. 

Arkangel is a chip implantation that allows for parents to view the health status and first person point of view of their child. It’s a type of technology that is meant to help parents control what their parents want their child to see or aid in any health related aspect. After a traumatizing event in which single mother Marie almost loses her daughter Sarah, Marie decides to implant the chip in order to know where Sarah is at ALL times. This episode gives a scenario of what could possibly happen to a parent if their child has this chip implanted. 

Do you hear the chopping/whirring noise? Oh, it’s the helicopter parents finally telling me to talk about them. Today, let’s talk about Helicopter Parenting!

Helicopter parents are known for their hovering, hence their name. These parents love to micromanage and control every aspect of their child’s life. Unlike the authoritarian parents, these parents don’t really encourage individual thinking. They love to know everything about their child’s life and nitpick how their child chooses to live their life. Many would assume these parents are controlling or overbearing. There’s a large debate as to what effectiveness this parenting style has on the child(as with any parenting style). Let’s take a look at what the pros and cons are:

Pros

Parents get to see and watch every special moment their child has

Protection of your child from predators or “toxic” people

Child will never have to worry about being alone

Cons

Child gets no privacy or sense of self/individual development

Child may suffer from dependency issues

There’s ALWAYS one friend that will be able to go to bed whenever they want or do whatever they want. Do their parents not care? Are they busy? How about punishing? Maybe they’re just Permissive Parents.. 

Let’s talk about Permissive Parenting! This family dynamic is high in emotional warmth and support and low on rule enforcement. Parents that approach this dynamic are more like their child’s friend, and don’t have much structure when it comes to raising their kids. It almost appears like that the parents have NO control with their children. It’s important that if you decide to go this route, you do not enforce rules or authority and let the child be. Offer lots of love and emotional support. Let’s talk about the pros and cons! 

Pros 

Child feels loved and supported 

“Best Friends” with child

Child is overall happy and experiences less behavioral problems. 

Cons 

Child may be demanding 

Parents have less control on child’s actions

“No, Billie. You have to write your lyrics before you go to Coachella.” 

“Come on Dad! my favorite band BLACKPI-”

“No means no.” 

Whew, what a strict dad. I wonder what kind of parent styles he uses? 

Let’s talk about Authoritarian Parenting! In this family dynamic, parents are seen as the “authority.” This means that the parents have reign and control over most aspects of their child life. Most times, these parents have incredibly high demands and expectations so that their child may have the best goals and interests in mind. It’s important to highlight that your child should NOT be afraid of you, they should see you as someone who is in authority. If you must, explain why your actions are the best. Encourage your child to think individually and problem solve on their own. Strict reward and punishment is key to bring out desired behaviors. Let’s talk about pros and cons.

Pros

High expectations = high success of child

Child is goal oriented

Obedience of the child

Child is independent 

Cons

Distant emotional bond with child

Possible rebel-like actions from child; behavior problems