Free Article: Authoritative Parenting

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Authoritative Parenting: Raising Your Child in a Supportive Home
By Wendy Simons

According to experts, different styles in parenting often times generate different results. Of the many different parenting styles identified by experts, the authoritative parenting style is considered as one of the most appropriate. The authoritative approach creates a demanding yet supporting environment. Demanding in the sense that the authoritative parenting style creates rules but unlike the authoritarian parenting system where the children cannot question the rules, the authoritative parenting style is interactive.

Experts believe that children thrive better when they are given rules to abide by. Having rules is important for children because these rules would give them a sense of security. Under the authoritative parenting style, the parents and the child often makes the rules together and agree to abide by the rules that they have created. Unlike in authoritarian parenting where the parents would like to stay over and above the rules, the authoritative parenting style promotes healthy interaction between parents and children thus creating a more supportive and cooperative atmosphere.

Promoting Authoritative Parenting in the Home

Children always look up to their parents for guidance; thus parents will always have some degree of authority over their children. When promoting the authoritative parenting style in your home, you should always let your kids know that you are the leader and that there are things that you are more knowledgeable about than your children. Since authoritative parenting is based on the principles of trust, mutual support and cooperation, your child must know that you can be relied upon to deliver what you promised. If your child knows that you are serious and that you can be relied on to do what you said you would do, he or she is more likely to cooperate. Furthermore, it is always good to let the child know where he or she is standing.

When promoting authoritative parenting in the home, you must learn to be very consistent. You are your spouse should see to it that your decisions are not contradictory because this can confuse the child. If one spouse says no, the other should not say yes otherwise, the balance of power in the house will be disrupted and the child becomes disoriented. In cases where you do not agree with the decision of your partner or your spouse, you should not show your disagreement in front of the child. You and your spouse should talk things out in private and come up with a unified stand on issues involving your child.

Author Details:
Wendy Simons, writes for a number of sites about health and beauty she also makes contributions to the A-Z of.com.

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