Parenting Styles

PARENTING STYLES

The way family members interact with one another may help to explain student social behavior at school. The social environment of the household in which children are raised reinforces interactive patterns and social behavior.

Effective parenting requires considerable support and direction. Many parents seek child rearing advice from teachers but fail to consider how their parenting style is related to the academic and developmental outcomes of their children.

Maccoby and Martin (1983) identified two particular dimensions of parenting behaviors: whether they were strict (controlling) or permissive (gave a great deal of autonomy), and whether they were accepting and responsive or rejecting and unresponsive.

Based upon these two dimensions four parenting styles were identified. Baumrind (1971) identified three parenting styles---- authoritarian, authoritative (democratic) and permissive. The latter was later divided into two forms, permissive neglectful and permissive indulgent (Maccoby & Martin, 1983).

Authoritative parenting

is distinguished by parents helping children to attain independence through goal achievement, to think for themselves, and to initiate socially acceptable activities. High demands are placed on their children to achieve realistic academic and social goals. Extensive verbal exchange is encouraged to help their children make rational decisions. Authoritative parents are warm, nurturing, and caring towards their children, demonstrating both love and limits (Diss & Buckley, 2005).

Impact

Authoritative parents expect the school to have high, yet reasonable, academic and social expectations. These parents may be very involved in school activities and hold administration and teachers accountable for their children's learning and social progress. Teachers may tap the interest and expertise of these parents by involving them in leadership roles and providing an array of family involvement options that are necessary to accommodate the involvement needs of diverse families (Diss & Buckley, 2005).

Authoritarian parenting

is distinguished by a highly controlling, punitive style in which parents insist that children follow directions and meet their demands. Little verbal exchange is allowed. Authoritarian parents are highly involved in their children's lives and restrict their behavior to ensure that parental demands are met. Few choices are given. Children with authoritarian parents often lack social competence and exhibit aggressive behavior.

Impact

Authoritarian parents are more cooperative with teachers' expectations for involvement that support their own goals for their children. These parents will be supportive when asked to encourage their children to obey school rules and to meet the terms of academic demands. Teachers need to provide social opportunities for children of authoritarian parents to help them build confidence in their strengths and positive attributes.

Permissive indulgent parenting

is distinguished by high levels of involvement in children's lives with few demands or controls. Permissive indulgent parents display warmth and nurturing behavior while allowing their children a great deal of freedom of behavior and choices. Children of permissive indulgent parents can find it difficult to control their behavior, expect to always get their way, and tend to be socially incompetent (Diss & Buckley, 2005).

Permissive neglectful parenting

is distinguished by a lack of involvement in their children's lives. These parents give children lots of freedom and very little supervision. Their dealings with their children generally lack warmth. They do not spend much time talking to their children and generally lack nurturing behavior. Rather, they communicate to their children that other involvements are more important to them than parenting. Children show poor self-control, and fail to handle independence well (Diss & Buckley, 2005).

Impact

Teachers working with this particular parenting style need to provide specific and detailed requests for involvement that are accompanied by frequent reminders and monitoring contacts. Anticipating that these parents may offer a wide range of excuses for failing to follow through on involvement promises, teachers should initially involve them in short-term tasks. These children will need support in order to comply with classroom and school rules, perhaps employing a system of rewards.