There’s no manual for parenting — something you probably realized when you brought your little one home. There’s no single “right” way to parent. How you parent will depend on how you were raised, how you see others parenting, and even, to some extent, your cultural background.
Some of the more widely recognized parenting styles are:
- authoritative
- authoritarian
- attachment
- permissive
- free range
- helicopter
- uninvolved/neglectful
If you have a newborn at home (or one on the way!) and want to learn about which parenting style might be right for you — or if you have an older child and wonder if your current methods might be worth rethinking — read on to learn more about the different types of parenting.
Authoritative parenting
- Many child development specialists consider this the most reasonable and effective form of parenting. Consider yourself an authoritative parent if you:
- set clear and consistent rules and boundaries
- have reasonable expectations for your children
- listen to input from your child/children
- are generous with positive feedback
- Pros and cons of authoritative parenting
- Pros
As an authoritative parent, you create a loving and supportive environment for your children. As a result, your children:
Rate higher on mental health scores.
According to research published in 2012, children raised by authoritative parents have higher levels of self-esteem and quality of life than those raised by authoritarian or permissive parents.
Are healthier. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notes that adolescents with authoritative parents (versus those who use the other parenting forms) are less likely to:
have problems with substance abuse
engage in unhealthy sexual behaviors
be violent
Cons
While most experts agree that authoritative parenting produces the healthiest outcomes for kids, it requires a lot of patience and effort to make sure everyone is being heard.
In addition, rules sometimes have to be adjusted, and that can be hard for kids — and parents!
Examples of authoritative parenting
Your 16-year-old thinks a 10 p.m. curfew on weekends is too early, so you and your child agree upon (and you enforce) one you both think is fair.
Your student comes home with a D on a history test that you know they studied for. Instead of being angry, you praise your child for what they did right — studying hard — but encourage them to talk to the teacher to see what they can do better next time.
Authoritarian parenting
Authoritarian parents aren’t about winning any popularity contests — which is a good thing, since popularity matters very little when it comes to making the right choices. (You know the old adage — what’s right isn’t always popular, and what’s popular isn’t always right.)
These parents focus on keeping the troops — err, kids — in line so they can be their best selves.
When you’re an authoritarian parent, you:
set strict rules and expect your children to follow them
punish (sometimes severely)
have high expectations and expect that your children will meet them. Every. Single. Time. (and kids do often rise to high expectations)
don’t encourage open communication
Pros and cons of authoritarian parenting
Pros
Many people agree that firm parenting is good parenting. When your child knows their boundaries, they may be better able to focus on their achievements.
Cons
Authoritative parenting has its share of negatives. According to 2012 research out of the University of New Hampshire, the children of authoritarian parents:
don’t see their parents as legitimate authority figures
are more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors (such as smoking, skipping school, and underage drinking) than the children of those with other parenting styles
Other research shows that children of authoritarian parents are more depressedTrusted Source than other kids and are more likely to have poorer gradesTrusted Source.
Keep in mind that most kids rebel at some point, and this may happen in any parenting environment — including an authoritarian one. This can lead to a less-than-ideal parent/child relationship.
Examples of authoritarian parenting
If you’re an authoritarian parent, it’s your way or the highway.
Your child asks why they can’t have friends over, see a certain movie, or have a cookie for dessert. Your reply? “Because I said so!” (Note: All parents respond like this on occasion, and that doesn’t make you a bad parent — or even necessarily mean you’re an authoritarian parent.)
You may use intimidation and fear to get your child to do things. For example: “Clean your room or I’ll throw out all your toys” or “If I get a bad report at the parent/teacher conference tonight, you’ll get a spanking tomorrow.” (Again, most parents find themselves making “deals” of this nature at one point or another — or even using the related technique of bribery.)
Attachment parenting
Ever see “Mommie Dearest”? Well, think the opposite. Attachment parenting is a child-centric form of parenting in which you create a safe, secure environment for your child (forget the hysterical rants about wire hangers!).
You have a lot of physical contact with your child — you hold, carry, and even co-sleep with your child.
You respond to your child’s needs without hesitation. You soothe, comfort, and support in order to make your child feel safe and loved.
Pros and cons of attachment parenting
Pros
While it may seem counterintuitive, a study published in 2010 in APAPsychNET reports that children exposed to attachment parenting are:
independent
resilient
less stressed
empathetic
able to control their emotions
Cons
Attachment parenting can become all consuming. You may have to miss a lot of Wine Down Wednesdays with the girls, get used to having no privacy (or sex), and just generally have little time to or for yourself.
On a more serious note, co-sleeping with an infant can increase risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and is not recommended.
Examples of attachment parenting
Your baby cries, fusses, or seems fearful. You immediately go and comfort them.
Your toddler has a nightmare and wants to sleep in your bed. You allow it.
Permissive parenting
Permissive parents are loving and warm. They deviate from traditional parenting techniques in that it’s the children who call the shots — not the other way around. If you’re a permissive parent, you:
don’t set strict limits or boundaries
don’t always attempt to control your children
have few, if any, rules
allow your children to make many of their own decisions
Pros and cons of permissive parenting
Pros
Permissive parents are generally loving and nurturing. Although this isn’t a parenting style most experts encourage, children raised without limits often praise their upbringing and credit it with developing them into independent, decision-making adults.
Cons
Kids can get into a heap of trouble — that’s what kids do. Whether they get into more trouble in a permissive parenting environment depends on the individual.
One 2016 studyTrusted Source found that college kids raised by permissive parents had more perceived stress and were less mentally healthy than other kids.
Other research shows that permissive parenting may lead to obesityTrusted Source and cavitiesTrusted Source in children.
A 2019 study showed that children of permissive parents are more likely to be the victims of bulliesTrusted Source. Interestingly enough, the bullies tend to be the children of authoritarian parents.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, permissive parenting can lead to teenage drinking.
Examples of permissive parenting
There are two main tenets to permissive parenting: You don’t have — or even want — control. And your kids have complete freedom to make mistakes — and learn from those mistakes. Arguably, these lessons may “stick” better than if you simply dictate rules.
Your sixth-grader wants to skip school, just because? You think: Well, it’s their decision to make. (And they’ll likely see the consequences in the form of poorer grades or detention.)
You find alcohol in your teen’s bedroom. You think: I wish my kids would make better choices, but I can’t make them do what they don’t want to do. (Again, permissive parents are kind and loving. Being a permissive parent doesn’t mean you give your child who has been drinking the keys to your car.)
Free-range parenting
Like chickens that aren’t confined to a cage, the children of free-range parents are given room to roam and take risks, but with parental guidance (notice we didn’t say full-on parental supervision).
It’s not “anything goes” with free-range parents (that’s closer to permissive parenting). Free-range parents loosen the reins, but before they do they give their kids rules and consequences when they aren’t followed. Free-range parents give their kids:
- independence
- responsibility
- freedom
- control
- Pros and cons of free-range parenting
- Pros
- Giving kids control and responsibility helps them grow up to be:
- less depressed
- less anxious
- more able to make decisions
- self-reliant
- Cons
In some states, free-range parents can be charged with neglect. It happened to Maryland parents when they allowed their children to walk home alone from a park, although the charges were later dropped.
Examples of free-range parenting
You let your preschooler wander around the playground while you watch from a distance.
You let your child walk alone to a friend’s house a few streets away. But before they set out, you explain to your child what to do if they get lost or a stranger approaches.
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