It is a well-known fact that parenting choices exert an enormous impact on the future life of children. The behavior of parents towards children can fall into four categories or parenting styles. The current essay reflects my own childhood experience regarding the parenting style my parents tend to follow. In the present paper, I focus on how my parents raised me and how it affected me.
To focus on my personal experience in terms of parenting style, it is essential to provide a brief overview of what styles exist and the difference between them. According to Diana Baumrind’s research, there are four main parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful (Milbrand, 2019). The first type – authoritarian parents follow a strict way of behavior towards their children. They set rigid rules in terms of every aspect of a child’s daily routine and expect them to follow them without any negotiations. Children are not allowed to make their own choices and receive immediate punishment for breaking the rules.
Authoritative parenting style – the second type – implies that parents set rules and boundaries for their children but provide them with more freedom. It is done in order to teach them to make their own choices and take responsibility for that (Milbrand, 2019). The third type – permissive parenting style – is different from authoritarian and authoritative styles. Permissive parents have friendship-like relationships with their children, do not impose plenty of limits, and support children’s wishes. The last type – neglectful parents – do not set any rules and borders at all. Moreover, they do not participate in their children’s life (Power, 2013). In such families, children are left for themselves since early childhood.
Concerning my personal experience, both of my parents tend to follow the authoritative parenting style. My mother and my father set clear rules for my daily routine. I had to wake up at a specific time and go to bed. Moreover, I was obliged to do my homework, join extracurricular activities, and be polite with others. My parents formulated strict rules for me, but they always explained why they expect me to do specific actions and benefit from them. Furthermore, I should say that they always provide me with the freedom to make my own decisions and mistakes. For instance, they never decide what course, hobby, or friends I have to choose. I can ask for their advice, but the final decision always remains with me.
I believe that my parents have chosen the right path following the authoritative parenting style. Their nurture made me a responsible and independent person who respects rules and borders but, at the same time, can be free because of them. I am confident that this parenting style is a perfect combination of love, rules, and support. Moreover, I suppose that their choice of parenting style helped us establish a warm and trusting relationship. Concerning my future family, I plan to raise my children the same way my parents did. I am sure that the authoritative parenting style will allow me to make my children being responsible and, at the same time, to show my love and support to them.
In conclusion, it should be said that there are four major parenting styles, including authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglect. Both my mother and father tend to follow the authoritative style. They set clear and simple rules but, at the same time, allowed me to make my own decisions and take responsibility for it. Today I feel grateful for their choice, as I can describe myself as confident, responsible, and independent. I am sure that in the future, I choose the same style when raising my children.
References
Milbrand, L. (2019). How 4 different parenting styles can affect your kids. The Bump.
Power, T. G. (2013). Parenting dimensions and styles: A brief history and recommendations for future research. Childhood Obesity, 9:14-21.