Parenting Styles and Relations

How parenting styles effecting the relationship with Child and their parents?

Parental Attitudes Parent &Child Relationships

The first interaction established in human life from before birth to postpartum is the relationship with our parents. The baby feels the communication signals from the mother while still in the mother's womb, and this interaction continues with the bond established after birth. The relationships develop with the caregivers are of great importance to shaping later in an individual's life. This part will focus on the development of parent-child relationships and will address several critical issues relating to this process. One of the most essential elements of developing these relationships is the nature and structure of communication between parents and children.

In most cases, parents while they communicate with their children, we often provide feedback about their children's behavior. Parental attitudes and behaviors towards children will play an essential role in shaping their relationships. In particular, parental attitudes towards authority and supervision will have an impact on the development of their relationship with their children. In addition, the quality of communication between parents and children will influence the development of these relationships. In many cases, parents communicate with their children in a supportive and encouraging manner, while others will tend to communicate more harshly and judgmentally. This difference in communication styles can have a significant impact on the development of these relationships. In some cases, parents may adopt a rigid and authoritarian approach to their relationship with their children. This may result in children feeling criticized and discouraged from expressing themselves freely, feeling under stress and it can cause an increase in their anxiety and stress levels. On the other hand, parents may have an overly permissive approach; this may result in the child developing in many ways.

Parents have many ideas about what their children will be like as adults, and what knowledge, moral values, and behavioural standards they will have when they grow up. They use different strategies to help them get there. To support their values and goals, they may use reinforcement and punishment methods for their child's behaviour; some may use themselves as role models; express their beliefs and expectations; and choose neighbours, peers, and schools. These approaches allow parents to decide to create attitudes and behaviours toward children. (Mussen, 1984). Some parents might be completely tolerative towards their children. Routines and rules in daily life mostly depends on child’s initiative and demands. On the other hand, some parental type might be different than other type and they are neither demanding nor response. One of the important features of this type of parenting that not involved.

Thus, these different ways each parent adopts, and practices lead to different child-rearing attitudes and behaviors. Parental attitudes help to shape the child's attachment style. In the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind identified three main parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. A fourth style, neglectful, was later added in the 1980s by Stanford researchers Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin. Parental Attitudes are consisting of 4 dimensions, Authoritarian, Authoritative, Overprotective, and Permissive Uninvolved/neglectful/ added later (Baumrind, 1991).

Authoritarian Style characteristics are likely to expect strict obedience to rules without question and use punishment to enforce these rules. They do not engage in dialogue or consider their children's opinions. The typical response to a child's inquiry about rules is "Because I said so.". Communication in the Authoritarian style is mostly at a minimal level; children are expected to accept parental decisions without input and high emphasis on obedience and authority, monitoring children's activities closely.

Second is the Authoritative (Democratic) Style and the characteristics of democratic parenting are investing in preventing behavior problems, using positive discipline like praise and rewards, encouraging self-advocacy, and expressing beliefs. in the matter of communication, they are open and supportive, encouraging children to voice opinions. Consequences for Children are Lower levels of depression and anxiety, better decision-making, positive relationships, and overall well-being. Children are likely to be responsible, assertive, and cooperative. Overprotective Style's characteristics are excessive restrictiveness and harm minimization, which limit children's autonomy. Communication styles are mostly intrusive, limiting independence. Consequences for Children: Tend to lack self-confidence, be timid, develop social skills slower, and have limited self-awareness. Permissive Style's characteristics: Lenient, grants significant autonomy, avoids confrontation, may be overly understanding to the point of neglect. Responsive but not demanding, with minimal structure and control and consequences for Children: Tend to be self-indulgent, have weak impulse control, and have less academic success. Neglectful (Uninvolved) Style is mostly detached, lacks interest in parenting, minimal control, and affection. Communication often neglects responsibilities and consequences for Children is lack of structure and support, leading to potential developmental issues.

Suggestions for families can be listed as follows: Considering how effective parental attitudes are on the individual, the attitude that families should have should be Democratic, because the children of parents who have a democratic attitude are self-confident, able to express their feelings, protect their borders and the child will show healthier behaviors in communicating with others. Therefore, the child who is brought up with a democratic attitude will be a more self-efficient person when he grows up or in early adulthood, and with the healthy role model he has acquired from his parents, he will approach with a similar attitude when he has his own family and children in the future. The effective parent style is the democratic style that is balanced and frugal.