The Value of Authoritative Parenting

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The Value of Authoritative Parenting There are many approaches to parenting and everyone has their own preferences as to what they think is best. In a fast paced rush around society, it is hard to know what the best choices are for your children. There is a struggle to balance what needs to be done with what can be done, and this has negative and positive feedback on the children. Parents play a critical role in shaping and guiding their children into functional confident adults. An effective parent will learn as they teach in order to grow into understanding with their children. Authoritative parenting has a stronger positive outcome due to the balance maintained within the structure of this parenting style. According to developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind, “Authoritative parents are firm, setting limits for their children. As the children get older, these parents try to reason and explain things to them. They also set clear goals and encourage their children's independence,” (Baumrind 2005). For example, a young boy wants to play video games all day and the parent decides this is unwise. It is a nice day outside and the parent wants him to go out and play. An authoritative approach would be to sit down with the child and explain the positives of playing outside rather than the negatives of playing video games. The parent would appeal to the child's interests in order to engage the child in effective parenting. The child would then be able to see the positive side of the decision rather than just the negative consequences. The parent would want the child to make a decision based on what would be the best for them rather than just what the child would want to do. This encourages him to make an independent decision base... ... middle of paper ... ...d Baumrind, D. (2005). Patterns of parental authority and adolescent autonomy. New directions for Child and adolescent development, 108, 61-69 Pantley, Elizabeth. The No-Cry Discipline Solution. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print. Renner, Tanya, Feldman, Robert., Psychsmart. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. Walsh PhD, David. No: Why Kids—of All Ages— Need to Hear it and Ways Parents Can Say It. New York: Free Press, 2007. Print. Weiss PhD, Michael J., Wagner PhD, Sheldon, and Goldberg, Susan. Drawing the Line. New York: Warner Books, 2006. Print. Mayberry, Stephanie. “Why Self Confidence Is Important.” eHow, 2014. Web. 1 May 2014. Steinberg, Laurence, Elmen, Julie D., and Mounts, Nina S. “Authoritative Parenting, Psychosocial Maturity, and Academic Success among Adolescents.” Child Development, Vol. 60, No. 6 (Dec., 1989), pp. 1424-1436. Web. 1 May 2014.

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