Has today’s modern lifestyle influenced the parenting style?

Parenting style has become a hot topic as we negotiate the early part of the 21st century. The technological age has certainly affected the way we raise our children and it has even been suggested that there is a more hands-on approach to parenting today.

Let’s face it, in the western world, today’s society dictates that families should be a two-income environment, which means that either parent spends less time with their children due to work commitments and outside caregivers have come more into game. What about single parent situations? A similar story here I suspect.

We’ve come a long way since Diana Baumrind made some interesting observations about parenting style, categorizing styles into four main areas: authoritative, authoritative, indulgent, and selfless. Does the way a child adjusts to society reflect the type of parenting style he has been subjected to?

Authoritarian

Authoritarian parenting is considered the most desirable style, as parents are both demanding and responsive. The child is expected to adhere to established disciplines within the home; however, he is encouraged to develop his own personality through less restrictive policies that give him a voice within the family.

The established guidelines do not suffocate the child to the extent that he does not have the right to reply in certain situations. In other words, there is a certain amount of mutual support, trust, and cooperation within an authoritative foster home.

Authoritarian

Authoritarian parenting, on the other hand, is very demanding, but parents are seen as unresponsive. It’s a bit like strict military discipline where what the parent says goes and the child has no right to reply. In a sense, they are repressed and ruled by fear. Studies indicate that children from an authoritarian environment are less likely to develop independent tendencies and be less assertive.

Not involved or forgiving

At the other end of the spectrum, disengaged parents are exactly that—undemanding, uncaring, and almost negligent in their parenting duties—while indulgent parents are extremely responsive but lacking a bit in the area of ​​discipline. Parents in this category tend to want to avoid confrontational situations, and the child “who has them trapped” usually gets what she wants.

So what parenting style are you in? Obviously, most of us would like to be considered a bit authoritarian in our approach, but have modern trends in society had an effect on the way we raise our children?
Children are so impressionable at a young age and the early years are vital. A child’s personality can be up to 90% developed by the time they are seven years old.

Parenting style is certainly an interesting discussion point, isn’t it?