Authoritative parenting style
Print
EmailThese parents carefully define limits for children, are good role models and praise children for their efforts.
Parents in this style have high expectations, but also know the importance of open communication and provide the support their kids need to be successful. They offer consistent discipline, considering the situation. They also are role models of the behavior they expect from their children.
This parenting style involves:
- Having reasonable expectations of their children. They realize their children need meaningful experiences and freedom to be young to learn new skills.
- Understanding every stressful situation does not require parental intervention. Minor frustrations that confront a child can be an opportunity to develop coping skills.
- Learning that falling is normal while kids are young, just like teens need to break up with a girlfriend or boyfriend to appreciate the emotional maturity that lasting relationships require.
- Learning how to handle and manage frustrations and hurtful experiences when a child is young, as it gives them the tools necessary to handle situations as teenagers when they become more independent of their parents and turn to peers and others for advice.
- Encouraging independence, which teaches a child they are capable of accomplishing things on their own.
This parenting style has many positive side effects:
- Parents in this category tend to develop close, nurturing relationships with their children as they provide clear, firm and consistent guidelines.
- Children in this category are responsible, able to manage their aggression, have high self-esteem and are very self-confident.
- Parents are highly responsive, expect age-appropriate behavior and boundaries are clear and firm. Therefore, children are assertive, socially responsible, self-regulated and cooperative.
- Children are also happy, capable and successful.
Authoritative parents do not let their children get away with bad behavior.
To summarize, these parents provide:
- Consistent boundaries.
- Clear expectations.
- Appropriate expectations.
- Good communication, including listening to their children.
- Adaptations to different circumstances.
For more information on each parenting style, click on one of the styles below:
- The authoritarian parent. This is the "because I told you so" parent who is likely to degrade a child and ignore the child’s point of view.
- The authoritative parent. This is a mom or dad who sets carefully defined limits for children, the one who is a good role model and praises children for their efforts.
- The permissive parent. This is the parent who is afraid to set limits on children or believes a child has to be true to his or her own nature.
- The overprotective parent. This is the parent who wants to protect their children from harm, hurt and pain, unhappiness, bad experiences and rejection, hurt feelings, failure and disappointments.
For more information about child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.
