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Essay about Parenting Styles: The Effect on Your Child

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In my recent psychology class we studied parenting styles. They are grouped into three different categories; authoritarian, authoritative, and overly permissive. This gave me insight into a couple of different programs I’ve watched on television.Authoritarian parents are parents that set strict rules to keep order and they usually do this without much expression of warmth and affection. “They demand obedience to authority.” (Coon & Mitterer, 2010, p. 91) When the child questions the parent, "Because I said so," is often the response. Parents tend to focus on bad behavior, and not positive behavior, and children are scolded or punished for not after the rules. Authoritative parents help their children learn to be responsible for …show more content…

They are allowed too much freedom, and are not held accountable for their mistakes. This often results in children who are unhappy and lack self-control. They are more likely to disregard authority and tend to have problems in school. (Coon & Mitterer, 2010, p. 92)The reason I’ve described these parenting styles is to allow you to judge for yourself, which parenting style do you believe Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar practice? They are on a reality show titled “19 and Counting,” which airs on TLC. The “19” refers to the number of children they now have. After viewing a few episodes, I’ve come to the conclusion that these parents seem to use the authoritative parenting style. Their children are taught by example through firm and consistent parenting. They show respect for one another through generosity and kindness, and seem to have good decision-making skills. These children are well-mannered and cooperative. None seem to be lacking in self-esteem and, despite some skepticism, they all seem to have their needs met.In contrast, the reality show “Super Nanny,” which airs on the STYLE network, has a nanny working with parents that are seeking help. They are looking for the techniques needed to discipline their children. The parenting styles of these couples tend to lean toward overly permissive. Often these children are aggressive, uninvolved, and combative. They lack focus and act out for attention.Thankfully, professionals are working with

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