Verified Document

Indulgent Parenting Vs. Authoritative Parenting Term Paper

Indulgent vs. Authoritative Parenting mother and her daughter walk through the aisles at a grocery store. As they stroll through the cereal aisle, the young girl begs her mom for the newest sugar-laden breakfast treat. When her mom says no, the girl begins to whine and beg, and proceeds to throw a mini-tantrum. Her wails grow louder and other shoppers start to stare. The mother, obviously an indulgent parent, reaches for the cereal in question and lovingly pats her little girl on the head. Another mother and her daughter walk down the same aisle. Only this time, when the young girl begs for sugary cereal, her mother firmly replies, "No." The girl pouts but doesn't say another word. Her mother has probably practiced a more authoritarian approach to parenting. While there as many different parenting styles as there are children in the world, most parents lead toward either a liberal, indulgent style which uses minimal discipline; or a more conservative, authoritarian style that includes strict boundaries and consistent means of discipline. Each method has pros and cons, and no two parents use the same parental techniques all of the time. Permissive parenting is characterized by permissiveness and an unwillingness to place limits or demands on their children, while authoritative parenting entails encouraging independence through discipline, consistency, and leadership. A balanced approach is ideal, but authoritative parenting can contribute more to the healthy psychological development of children than a more indulgent style. Authoritative parenting differs from indulgent parenting primarily because the latter give into their children's whims most of the time. For example,...

If the child doesn't want to go to school because of an imaginary stomach ache, the parent will consent to letting the child remain home. If the child wants to stay out late on a school night or watch a violent movie, the parent will say yes. This can create problems during adolescence, as teenagers naturally test their parents' boundaries. If those boundaries are already loose, teens can get themselves into a lot of trouble trying to see how much reaction they can get out of a parent. When they get older, children of permissive parents could potentially have problems taking "no" for an answer in all sorts of interpersonal interactions.
On the other hand, authoritative parents set clear and firm boundaries with their children from the time they are a very young age. Their children can thus appreciate that a "no" means no and to not press the matter. Authoritative parents don't give into their child's every whim; nor do they spoil them with material goods. The parent won't necessarily buy the toy just because the child whines about it. Children from authoritative families will probably respect authority more as they grow older because of the way they were raised.

Permissive and authoritative parents differ in how consistent they are with punishments. Indulgent parents will often exhibit inconsistency in their disciplinary tactics. For instance, a parent will ground their child for a week, but a few days later allow him or her to go to a party. In two parent-households, this problem can be exacerbated when one parent delivers a punishment which the other one…

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Parenting Styles Authoritarian Vs. Permissive
Words: 2277 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

When I know we will have to leave soon, I always let her know that we will be leaving in a couple of minutes. Of course, a two-year-old doesn't have a good grasp of time, but it does seem to keep her from having a strong reaction to the announcement that we must leave now. Another strategy that I have seen work is clear and consistent consequences. She is still

Parenting Styles Parents Play a Big Role
Words: 1850 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Parenting Styles Parents play a big role in their children upbringing. The way a child is brought up normally has a direct impact on his/her behavior in the adult life. Most behaviors are impacted in a child during the tender years because he/she will be looking up to the parent for guidance and role-modeling. At a tender age, a normal child is expected to learn new things, and that's when a

Parenting Styles: Big Daddy Most
Words: 1003 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

This creates a sense of security and warmth that can ease the child's sense of anxiety. Thus Sonny is not entirely a failure as a parent -- and it could even be added that some permissive aspects of parenting, like allowing the child to choose his or her own clothing, can have positive results if done in a controlled fashion. Sonny's authoritarian turns, however, are less successful, and are more

Different Parenting Styles and Their Effect on Children's Behavior...
Words: 3034 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Parenting Styles and their Effect on Children Behavior Different Parenting Styles This research paper is based on Baumrind's theory of parenting and covers the impact and consequences of different parenting styles on children's development extensively. Four parenting styles named authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved are discussed in detail. This paper also discusses parenting style of Canada, Japan and China in contrast with Baumrind's theory of parenting. All the impacts and influences

Parenting Styles Can Be Generally
Words: 512 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

At the same time, authoritative parents use discipline judiciously. Unlike authoritative parents, permissive parents shy away from discipline. They are overly indulgent to their child's whims. Permissive parents tolerate a wide range of behaviors that would not be tolerated by either authoritarian or authoritative parents. Although permissive parents can be emotionally nurturing, they often erect barriers to parent-child communication because of not paying closer attention to the developmental and maturation

Social Cognition
Words: 2651 Length: 7 Document Type: Research Paper

Social Cognition Influences on Social Cognition in Children and Adolescents Academic Institution Influences on Social Cognition in Children and Adolescents Child development is influenced by many factors. Some of the most important factors that affect the development of a child include heredity, nutrition, parental affection, and culture. Cognition refers to a general processes regarding the principles of thinking in humans, whereas social cognition refers to the study of how people process and use

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now