While in this day and age you most of the time will only hear about four specific types of parenting that make up all parenting entirely. While those four specific types might cover the ‘outline’ when you break things down there is so much more hidden within each one. 

The four basic types of parenting are authoritarian/disciplinarian, authoritative, permissive/indulgent, and uninvolved. While that does sum up a lot of situations there are many who are far from any of these and others who make up all of them in their own ways. Below I am going to go over the six most common parenting styles I have noticed throughout the years explain which of these four groups they may consist of if any at all. While some of them will be styles you’re quite familiar with others could end up being styles you hope to never recognize in your day-to-day life. 

The way we parent our children really leaves a lasting impact on them as they grow. We can either help them become the best possible versions of themselves or we can hold them back and leave them wondering how to move forward. Parenting doesn’t come with a ‘how-to’ guide, and we all make mistakes but doing our best is always extremely important.

6 Of The Most Common ‘Parenting Styles’ And Their Influences On Our Children:

1. “I’m Always Right” Parenting 

As much as I wish this one wasn’t a thing, it is. There are parents in this world who want their children to think that they are perfect and can do no wrong. Whether they’re relatively normal parents outside of this or extremely neglectful and toxic can vary but at the end of the day, they use guilt to force their children into lots of things and are quite manipulative on a level that kids just don’t understand at a young age. 

This can leave the child as he or she develops thinking that they are not capable of living up to their parents and making them feel as though they are not good enough to be the offspring of who they belong to. These kinds of parents are usually also quite forceful in pushing their dreams and so forth onto their kids which in many ways makes them question themselves in ways they shouldn’t have to.

2. “Everything’s Fine” Parenting

These kinds of parents fit into the permissive category but are also a bit overly permissive to the point where they are basically just someone with a house who happens to let the kids stay there. They are not strict in any sense of the word and no matter what happens they always act as if things are fine. They make it seem as though they have everything together meanwhile their kids are running amuck. While warm and nurturing they are overly interested in keeping their kids happy and it really holds them back as far as preparation for the real world goes.

3. Average Parenting

Average parenting, in my opinion, is somewhere between permissive and authoritative. It is a good middle ground where the kids get their freedom but are still kept in check. These kinds of parents allow their kids to make their own mistakes and are very open and honest in their communications with them. While they do hold expectations for their kids these expectations are realistic and not holding them to excessive standards. 

These kinds of parents tend to produce quite progressive and successful children and are important when it comes to the future of our world. While you might not see it at first the more you work to be connected with your kids the more you can help them develop in the different areas that they need to. Things are not always as odd as we make them out to be.

4. Needy Parenting

These kinds of parents make my stomach churn. They are so damaged and torn in their own lives that they use their children as if they were caretakers for them rather than being the parents they need to be and taking care of their kids. They are the kinds of parents who have their kids waiting on them hand and foot all the while leaving them emotionally damaged in the end. For instance, these kinds of parents may be quite absent overall and come home late at night to puke in the toilet while their son or daughter is holding their hair back and trying to get them to bed.

This kind of parenting can leave lasting issues in the child’s life and usually comes with some kind of mental health issue for the parent (resulting in similar for the child). When getting the help these parents need they can become better and do better for their offspring but I felt it was important to cover this ‘parenting style’ as it is still sadly quite present across the globe.

5. Neglectful Parenting

These are the parents who think that by feeding, clothing, and sheltering their children overall they are doing their jobs. While those things are important they also need to be taking care of their children emotionally and being there for them when needed. However, this does not happen. They are very disconnected and do not think much of it. Because of these kinds of parents, we have a lot of adults in this world who are struggling to build proper connections in their lives.

6. “You Have To Be Perfect” Parenting

These kinds of parents want their kids to do everything perfectly and never make mistakes. They hold them to standards that leave them feeling inadequate and never able to please. The more they try the more disappointed their parents become and it really takes a toll on them. 

These kinds of children grow up to be very driven but also incapable of handling failure in their lives. They lose themselves in all of this and have to really come a long way to get to ‘normal’ space.

Sources:

https://www.brighthorizons.com/family-resources/parenting-style-four-types-of-parenting