Author: Emily Jiang
Editors: Maria Flores, Sophia Chen
Artist: Tracy Xu
A child’s brain is like a sponge, capable of absorbing the environment around them at a pace like no other. But who exactly impacts a child’s environment the most? Parents are undoubtedly the obvious answer as they are responsible for clothing, feeding, and raising their children. Clothing and feeding a child is straightforward; however, the main difference between parents lies in how they raise their children. There are four types of parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. As children grow into adults, the way they are raised will undoubtedly affect their character, mentality, and decisions. Thus, how does parenting style affect children?
An example of a parenting style that negatively impacts a child’s development is the authoritarian parenting style, characterized by strictness. Rules are enforced with punishments, and affection is rarely shown. Instead, these parents are more oppressive and tyrannical. Children raised this way have been shown to exhibit less social behavior and more problem behavior, such as higher aggression levels, an inability to make their own decisions, understanding right from wrong, low self-esteem, and a higher likelihood of rebellion as they grow older. These behaviors stem from parents controlling every aspect of the child’s life, leading the child to rely more on others to make decisions for them. This parenting style may become familiar and comforting to the child, who may seek out similar environments in the future.
The opposite of the authoritarian parenting style is the permissive parenting style, where the parents yield to their children’s every desire—in a sense, acting as pushovers. These parents do not enforce rules for fear of agitating or displeasing their children, thus having zero expectations for them. This lack of structure creates unhealthy eating habits and leads to other bad habits, from excessive screen time to poor sleep schedules. While these children may have high self-esteem and social skills, they tend to be more self-indulgent, quick to give up, impulsive, selfish, have no self-regulation, and are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
Compared to the authoritarian and permissive styles, the neglectful parenting style is where the parents do not care for their children at all. They provide no rules, love, or attention, leaving the child to fend for themselves. While the bare minimum, like food and clothes, is met, anything beyond basic needs is neglected. Children raised in these conditions may become more resilient and self-sufficient but often struggle to control their emotions, form close relationships, and face more academic challenges.
In contrast to the previous parenting styles, experts consider the authoritative parenting style the best way to raise a child. Authoritative parenting involves caring for a child’s emotional well-being while still being firm. There may still be rules to follow, but they are fair and give the child enough freedom to support their development while keeping them safe, mainly by discussing why certain actions shouldn’t be done. This type of parenting style is widely considered the best way to raise a child due to its positive impact. Children raised this way have more confidence, responsibility, self-regulation, and independence, along with higher academic performance. These children are allowed to make mistakes and learn to deal with conflict. Authoritative parents allow for communication, and natural consequences, and help their children solve problems. All of these skills set them up for success in their adult lives, as problem-solving and communication skills are essential for personal and business lives.
How parents raise their children directly impacts a child’s development. As children grow to become members of society, the characteristics they’ve developed become apparent, influencing their decisions and surroundings, and altering the course of their lives. Children are human beings with emotional and behavioral needs. The role of a parent is essential to teach their children how to regulate these needs. The importance of properly caring for a child cannot be stressed enough, and only with proper thought and care can a happy child be raised.
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Why Psychologists Say It’s the Best Parenting Style.” CNBC, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2021,
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