This document discusses four common parenting styles: uninvolved, permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative. It describes each style based on two dimensions - the level of acceptance (warmth and responsiveness) and level of control (expectations and demands placed on children). The uninvolved parent is low on both, the permissive parent is high on acceptance but low on control, the authoritarian parent is low on acceptance but high on control, and the authoritative parent scores high on both acceptance and control. The effects of each parenting style and variations along the acceptance/control dimensions are also briefly touched on.

1. Parenting Styles
By Melissa Winfield

2. Four Parenting Styles

3. Classifications of Parenting
Styles
Levels of Acceptance Level of Control Questions
Questions
• Expectations and maturity
• Communication: Are parents demands: Are parents
truly listening to their children? expecting their children to
Is communication reciprocal grow to perform? Are they
and transactional, or is it one pushing their children to do
dimensional? better? Are their expectations
• Warmth and nurturance: Are realistic?
parents present in a reassuring • Clarity and consistency of
and caring manner? Are they rules: Are parents providing
successfully providing their clear boundaries and a secure
children with a sense of and controlled environment for
security? their children?

4. The Uninvolved Parent
• This style of parenting is
characterized by a lack of
responsiveness, minimal
demands and poor
communication. While
parents who exhibit this
parenting style may fulfill
their children's basic
needs, they are usually
very detached from their
children's lives. In some
instances, parents may
even be neglectful or
rejecting of their children.

5. The Permissive Parent
• Indulgent, nondirective or
permissive parenting
styles are more
responsive than they are
demanding. Parents
avoid confronting their
children and tend to be
very lenient hence not
demanding mature
behavior of their children.
These parents allow
children to control their
own behavior.

6. The Authoritarian Parent
• Authoritarian parenting styles are
highly demanding and direction
oriented but relatively non-
responsive. Parents expect their
children to obey them without
question. Explanations for their
demands upon their children are
unnecessary and can be seen as
a challenge to their authority. Such
parents are often status
conscience. These parents put
high importance on what people
think of their children
matters a lot to them, so the kids
better behave or consequences
are put in place. Parents are often
punitive. Rules are clear and
home life is structured and well
ordered.

7. The Authoritative Parent
• Authoritative parents are both
demanding and responsive.
Although they demand
appropriate behavior from their
children, they, also, are highly
responsive in supporting their
children. In a sense these
parents are present to pick
them up when they fall down.
While being demanding or
assertive, they are not
intrusive, punitive or
restrictive. Their goal is to
parent children who are
independent, take
responsibility for their actions
and are socially cooperative.

8. Parenting Style Phrases

9. Effects of Parenting Styles

10. Acceptance/Control Variations