December 14, 2010

What Type of Parent Are You?

There's no right or wrong way to parent but your parenting style can strongly influence the failure or success of your child. Let's take a look at the three basic styles of parenting identified by psychologist Diana Blumberg Baumrind in 1966.

Authoritarian Parents are "too hard." They have a tendency to over-control their children, with absolute rules and standards. They emphasize a high degree of control, which may cause a child to feel rejected and isolated.

Permissive Parents are "too soft" and are the opposite of authoritarian parents. They exercise a low level of control over their children, and make very few demands upon their children.

Authoritative Parents fall in-between these two extremes. They have considerable control over their children and seem to have appropriate expectations for their children. This is the style most recommended by parenting experts.

The way you parent may be one of these styles or it may be a combination. If you;re not feeling successful with your parenting I encourage you to consult with a parenting coach or a therapist to learn techniques to parent in a more authoritative style.

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