Parenting is a complex subject. Developmental psychologists show their keen interest in exploring different areas of parenting and its influence on the development of a child. Although different theorists work differently on identifying different elements of parenting, Dianne Baurmind's theory of parenting styles has probably got the most importance. In her theory of parenting styles, Dianne Baurmind defines three exclusive parenting styles – permissive, authoritarian and authoritative. Moreover, Dianne Baurmind asserts that parenting styles profoundly influence the behavior, personality and emotional balance of the child.
Permissive Parenting Style
The permissive parents follow a non-disciplinary, acceptant and affirmative parenting style while controlling child's impulses, behaviors, desires and actions. In the permissive parenting style, parents usually talk with the child about guiding principle and provide the child the family norms. The permissive parents make only some demands on behalf of household responsibility and logical behavior.
Parents who follow permissive parenting style set them neither as a model for him to imitate nor as an active agent responsible for modifying their child's behavior. Permissive parents prefer to place them as a resource to their child and the child is not set to follow any externally defined standards in general. The parents encourage their child to utilize logic and manipulation, but not any sort of overt power to accomplish the parents' standard of guidelines.
Authoritarian Parenting Style
Unlike to permissive parenting style, authoritarian parenting style focuses on shaping, controlling and evaluating the behavior and attitudes of the child. Parents who follow authoritarian parenting style define a set of standards which is overtly influential and put together by a higher authority. Authoritarian parents value obedience as a quality of parenting style and implement forceful measures in order to restrain self-will, especially when the parents find that the child's actions or behaviors conflict with the conduct set by them.
The authoritarian parents control the child's autonomy as a standard of implementing discipline. In addition, they assign the child household responsibilities with the purpose of instilling value for work. These parents provide the highest value to the traditional structure and do their best to preserve order. Authoritarian parents do not accept 'give and take' policy as they believe that the child should exclusively follow parents' direction.
Authoritative Parenting Style
Authoritative parenting style aims at regulating child's behavior in a rational, problem-solving fashion. In authoritative parenting style, parents believe in verbal 'give and take' policy. They pay respect and try to understand the logic behind the policy implemented by the child. The authoritative parents, in practice, try to understand the child's protestations when the child says no to any rules. In authoritative parenting style, both child's autonomy and disciplined conformity are understood, valued and respected.
Authoritative parents use strict control at points of parent-child conflict, but do not force the child to obey before learning the logic from the child's end. Parents of authoritative style put their active parental role into effect, but value the child's individual interest and identities as well.
Dianne Baurmind's Parenting Styles - Consequences On Children
Dianne Baurmind's different parenting styles affect the child's psychosocial development in different ways. Quite obviously, the most effective parenting style among all three parenting styles defined by Dianne Baurmind is authoritative parenting style. Children with authoritative parents are found as more socially, psychologically and emotionally competent than children with non-authoritative parents.
Children with authoritarian parents show poor social skills and low self-esteem along with higher level of depression. Children with permissive parents are mostly involved in problem behavior and lower academic performance, but they have high self esteem and better social skills.
