Parenting Styles

Parenting styles are strategies and actions used by parents when rearing their children. There are multiple theories that describe different strategies that can be used. Baumrind describes three different methods to parent: Authoritarian, Authoritative, and Permissive. Authoritarian is a style that exercises direct control over the child. These parents use discipline to obtain obedience from the child. Authoritative style encourages freedom and uses positive reinforcement to obtain obedience from the child. These parents only use punishment when necessary. Permissive style does not typically use punishment on the child. Children are usually given few rules and are under little control of their parents. Baumrind’s styles describe the importance of parenting choices regarding control over the child’s behavior. Kohn describes parenting styles that identify characteristics that the parents are looking for in the child. Parents who desire their child to develop skills of self-control, critical thinking and reasoning, and curiosity value self-direction. Conformity is typically desired by working-class people and is desired by parents who desire their child to work as part of a group, develop a routine, and work under supervision.

Lareau suggests that social class will influence the way that parents interact with their children. Concerted cultivation aims to foster their child’s talents and abilities. This can be done by incorporating organized activities into their children’s lives. These children will have increased social experiences with adults and may develop better communication and academic skills. They will grow up prepared to excel in a structured environment. Parents in the middle and upper classes typically carry out the concerted cultivation approach. Natural growth is not as structured as the concerted cultivation approach. Children in the natural growth method will typically have more free time and have the ability to choose their own activities. This may be due to the lack of availability of parental time to provide structured activities for the child.

The style that I favor the most is the authoritative parenting style. This style allows the child to make decisions and encourages individual development while also employing necessary structure and reinforcement to maintain adequate control over the child. This is the method that my parents employed and I believe that it was very effective. I chose this photo to illustrate the importance of providing structure and encouraging childhood development.