Child Rearing Controversy

There are numerous philosophies on how to raise children. Several parents adopt the concepts their own parents used, others seek advice from friends and there are those that read books about parenting. Parents come in various and diverse forms, each approaching parenting in ways as distinct as their personalities. Philosophies on child rearing can be grouped into two styles; authoritarian, authoritative parenting. These two styles are similar sounding, but have nuanced differences.

Authoritarian parents hold their children to an exceedingly high level of status and success. In this style of parenting, children are expected to follow the strict rules established by the parents. Failure in following rules typically results in penalty. Authoritarian parents fail to elucidate the rationalization behind these rules. If questioned, the parent my simply reply with a “because I said so… that’s why!” The children are looked upon as miniature adults, and forced to grow up too quickly. The idea of a child being faultless isn’t realistic, no human is perfect. Holding ridiculously high expectations and possessing complete control are qualities an authoritarian pride themselves on. Children raised with an authoritarian-style are frequently good at submitting to authority but rarely have a strong sense of self-restraint. They typically do well in school and stay out of trouble. Dictatorial parents typically use spanking as a primary mean of punishment. Desperation for such control over their children often turns into an abusive relationship, either physically or emotionally. Having expectations and boundaries are a vigorous part of parenting until it becomes unfeasible. As a result of being too strict, children often become de...

... middle of paper ...

... work individually and unite to influence children outcomes. Although specific parenting behaviors, such as spanking or reading aloud, may impact child development, looking at a certain behavior in isolation may be misleading. Though parents may fluctuate in how they try to control or socialize their children, it is implicit that the prime role of all parents is to influence, guide, and control their children. Parenting style provides a robust indicator of parenting functioning that foresees child well-being across a wide spectrum of environments and across diverse communities of children. Both parental receptiveness and parental demands are vital components of parenting. Ultimately, whether parenting in authoritarian or authoritative style, the mutual goal is to raise successful and respectful children despite the vast differences in the two parenting styles.