Baumrind Parenting Styles - Research Paper Example

 Abstract This paper discusses a summary of the support of the point of reasoning of Baumrind’s parenting style. Analysis which supports the four parenting styles as described by Diana Baumrind is explored in this paper. The styles discussed include the permissive parenting, uninvolved parenting, authoritarian parenting and authoritative parenting styles. Baumrind Parenting Styles Introduction Baumrind parenting style was invented by Diana Baumrind in 1966 according to Baumrind (1991). Baumrind and her colleagues were involved in an extensive research to establish the relationships between certain patterns in child-rearing and the specific child’s outcomes. The research on the Baumrind parenting styles was driven by the urge to find out the impact of parents in the development of children. In establishing these findings, Diana Baumrind engaged in a research which covered about hundred pre-school age children. Baumrind used naturalistic observation and interviewing parents among other methods of research. The research came up with four styles of parenting which were well distinguished. They were labeled as permissive, authoritarian, uninvolved and authoritative parenting styles. Among the four styles, Baumrind established three basic parenting styles; authoritarian, permissive and authoritative. The fourth basic parenting style that is, uninvolved/nonconformist parenting style, was established after a further research conducted by Macoby and Martin. The Baumrid parenting style study though conducted a long time ago; parents still find themselves using one of the four styles of parenting. Each of the parenting style is made up of different variations as well as combinations. The Baumrind parenting style consists of two combinations which are demand and control on one hand and on the other hand is responsiveness accompanied by acceptance. Baumrind was of the view that parents need not be punitive or aloof in dealing with their children. Thus she recognized the need for parents to come up with rules which govern the behavior of their children and be affectionate to their children. In her research she expresses normal variations involved in the four parenting styles. Baumrind rules out deviant parenting which is experienced in abusive homes. In most cases, parents tend to fall in-between two styles showing characteristics of different styles. In explaining the various types of parenting styles, Baumrind involves the two major factors that is demanding and responsiveness. Authoritarian parenting style refers to a style whereby the parent expects a lot of respect ass obedience from their children. According to Baumrind an authoritarian parent is high demanding and controlling but has low responsiveness. One of the major characteristics of authoritative parenting style is strictness. The parents are very strict and mostly set strict rules for the children. This parenting style is perceived as the most rigid and inflexible compared to other parenting styles as suggested by Barber (1996). Such commanding expressions as shut up! Sit down! And others are common with parents who apply this style. There is a common expectation that the child has to obey without questioning any command. The parents do not explain much about the rules and regulations to their children thus children in this family do not give their opinions. Authoritarian parenting style is mostly exhibited in male parents as it has been culturally conceived that fathers are the authority figures in every family set up. In the past generations it was also conceived that children were expected only to be seen but not to be heard. Therefore it can be argued that this style is mostly used in those families where the traditional values are still upheld. Permissive parenting style presents the opposite of the authoritarian parenting style. According to Baumrind, here the parents are less demanding and less controlling which is not good but are highly responsible which is good. In this style there is a strong believe in the individual’s autonomy and children need to be treated as equal to other individuals. Parents applying this style tend to give their children few rules and they involve them in decision making. Thus according to permissive style children are free to give their opinions. Parents applying this style do not often discipline their children as they tend to have low maturity and self control expectations from their children. According to Darling and Steinberg (1993), the permissive parents are not traditionally oriented and are lenient to their children. They expect their children to show a considerable self control and not necessarily mature behavior. In permissive parenting style, the parents present themselves to the children as a resource for the children to use as they wish. Exercise of parental power is not popular in this style but reason as well as manipulation is highly employed. The advantage of this style is that the child does not feel oppressed and they are able to learn how to be independent early in life. The authoritative parenting style presents a parent who is the mixture of permissive and authoritarian parenting styles. According to Baumrind the parent is high demanding and controlling as well as highly responsible which are all good virtues. These parents tend to be assertive and lay the right standards of the children behavior. They try their best to support their children and understand their opinions. In authoritative parenting, the parents try to balance the autonomy of the child with their control, thus there is much democracy in this style of parenting. According to Smetana (2008) In case of the child fails to meet the parents expectations, the parents tend to be nurturing and forgiving as opposed to punishing. The authoritative style is fair as the parents are not too restrictive or intrusive of their children behavior. The parents do not employ punitive disciplinary methods as they require the child to be self regulated, assertive and responsible person who is corporative. Thus the advantage f this style is that it produces a child who is socially acceptable. Those children raised in this style of parenting receive a lot of encouragement from their parents. The style is therefore neither traditionally oriented nor modern oriented. Uninvolved parenting style presents a parent who is neither demanding nor responsive. There tends to be little communication with the children and the children feel neglected. The parents may provide for the child’s need and detach from their life or even fail to fulfill the child’s needs. These types of parents tend to be unsupportive in their children emotions. Children raised by this type of parents tend to develop independency and maturity which is beyond their years of age. Conclusion According to Baumrind, of all the four parenting styles, authoritative parenting style is the perfect style of parenting while the uninvolved style is the most undesirable. She considers authoritarian style to be too strict and permissive style to be too soft. The outcomes of child rearing are dependent of the parenting style in which the child was reared in. For instance in most traditional African families where parents tend to be authoritarian, the child will develop anxiety and unhappiness, less interactive and frustration characters. In the modern world, with increased modification of culture parents tend to fall between the extremes of either style, thus parents tend to be authoritative. The uninvolved parenting style is experienced mostly in families where there is a step parent as they rarely bear emotional feelings for the step child. Though Baumrind’s parenting style may seem outdated, it is still applied today and it is likely to continue even in future. This is because the theory explains various aspects of individual behavior which are common even in the modern world and predictable in future. Since parenting styles are part of culture which is passed from one generation to another, thus Baumrind parenting style is bound to be applied even in future. References: Barber, B. K. (1996). Parental psychological control: Revisiting a neglected construct. Journal of Child Development. 67(6), 3296-3319. Baumrind, D. (1991). The influence of parenting style on adolescent competence and substance use. Journal of Early Adolescence. 11(1), 56-95. Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Journal of Psychological Bullet. 113(3), 487-496. Smetana,J.G. (2008). Parenting Styles and Conceptions of Parental Authority during Adolescence. Journal of Child Development. 1995, 66(2), 299-136. Read More