Good Parenting

It is important to keep in mind that every parent child relationship is different, so there is not one sure fire way to go about parenting. This is a simple guide to help decode your parenting style.The CK Birla Hospital provides general suggestions on how to raise a happy, responsible, productive member of society.

Authoritative

Authoritative parenting is widely regarded as the most effective and beneficial parenting style for normal children. Authoritative parents are easy to recognize and how?

• Does your child’s day have structure to it, such as a planned bedtime and understood household rules?
• Are there consequences for disrupting this structure or breaking the household rules?
• Does your child understand the expectations that you have for their behavior, and are these expectations reasonable?
• Do you have a healthy and open line of communication with your child? That is, does your child feel that they can speak to you about anything without fear of negative consequence or harsh judgment?

One of the most important traits in the authoritative parenting style is the open communication style with the child. If a parent can foster the ability to speak to their child without judgment or reprimand, they will be more likely to have insight into the child’s life and understanding, providing the child with a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Neglectful

As an expert child specialist in Gurgaon, we feel that neglectful parenting is one of the most harmful styles of parenting that can be used on a child

• Do you care for your child’s needs—emotional, physical, and otherwise?
• Do you have an understanding of what is going on in your child’s life?
• Does the home provide a safe space for the child where they can share their experiences and expect positive feedback rather than negative or no feedback?
• Do you spend long periods of time away from home, leaving the child alone?
• Do you often find yourself making excuses for not being there for your child?
• Do you know your child’s friends? Teachers?
• Are you involved in your child’s life outside the home?

Neglectful parenting is damaging to children, because they have no trust foundation with their parents from which to explore the world. Beyond that, children who have a negative or absent relationship with their parent will have a harder time forming relationships with other people, particularly children their age.

Permissive

Permissive parenting, also known as indulgent parenting is another potentially harmful style of parenting. These parents are responsive but not demanding. These parents tend to be lenient while trying to avoid confrontation. The benefit of this parenting style is that they are usually very nurturing and loving. The negatives, however, outweigh this benefit.

• Do you not have set limits or rules for your child? Do you often compromise your rules to accommodate your child’s mood?
• Do you avoid conflict with your child?
• Do you have a willingness to be your child’s best friend rather than their parent?
• Do you often bribe your child to do things with large rewards?

It may seem as though this would be a child’s favorite parenting style as it provides a sense of freedom without consequences. However, children crave for a sense of structure to make them feel safe. Our hospital in Gurgaon feels it is important in a child’s development to have clear cut parental and child roles.
Other damaging effects of permissive parenting include:

• Insecurity in children from of lack of set boundaries
• Poor social skills, such as sharing, from lack of discipline
• Self-centeredness
• Poor academic success from lack of motivation
• Clashing with authority

It is important for the permissive parent to begin to set boundaries and rules for their child, while still being responsive before it is too late.

Authoritarian

Authoritarian parenting, also called strict parenting, is characterized by parents who are demanding but not responsive. Authoritarian parents allow for little open dialogue between parent and child and expect children to follow a strict set of rules and expectations.

• Do you have very strict rules that you believe should be followed no matter what?
• Do you often find yourself offering no explanations for the rules other than “Because I said so?”
• Do you give your child few choices and decisions about their own life?
• Do you find yourself utilizing punishment as a means of getting your child to do what you ask?
• Are you reserved in the amount of warmth and nurturing you show your child?

Children of authoritarian parents are prone to having low self-esteem, being fearful or shy, associating obedience with love, having difficulty in social situations, and possibly misbehaving when outside of parental care.

Make an appointment with our expert pediatrician in gurgaon at The CK Birla Hospital.

• Dr. Aruna Kalra
• Director, Obstetrics & Gynecology