What is your parenting style? Check out the following parenting styles and introspect on your own style...

We don’t anymore describe parents as merely “strict” or “lenient.” Parenting styles now come with titles and definitions. Following are the six of the most common parenting styles that today’s moms and dads are applying to their families.

1. Instinctive Parenting

This might be called the “old school” method of parenting, “intuition” or simply a feeling of “go with your gut.” Instinctive parenting is defined as “very much your own personal style of parenting, usually influenced by your own upbringing.” In other words, as an instinctive parent, you’re more likely to teach what you know and parent the way you were parented, whether you were brought up by your mother and father, siblings, or another caregiver.

2. Attachment Parenting

In attachment parenting, the goal is for parent and child to form a strong emotional bond. The people who adopt this parenting style strive to promptly respond to their child’s needs and be sensitive and emotionally available for their child at all times. The belief is that strong attachment to the parent helps the child become a more secure, empathic, peaceful human being. Too much attachment can be detrimental. The children will have to fly off sometime & parents need to let go.

3. Authoritative Parenting

“You live under my roof, you follow my rules!” It’s a cliché, but one that parents may often find themselves speaking and it probably most closely mimics the authoritative parenting style. The parents who fit into this category typically establish rules and guidelines and expect their children to follow them, but the methodology is a bit more democratic than “what I say goes.” For children who fail to meet the authoritative parent’s expectations, the parent is more nurturing, forgiving and responsive. Another style is AUTHORITARIAN. 

The Dictatorship style we are sure none of us are following in our homes.

4. Helicopter Parenting

Helicopter parents constantly interact with and often interfere with their children’s lives. They hover like a helicopter. While helicopter parenting is fairly normal to ensure the safety and security of babies and very young children, being forewarned and smothering your child in every aspect of their life can ultimately backfire. Too much of this style of parenting and children can become dependent on their parents’ money, time and advice past their college years and into their professional careers. And we don’t need that for sure.

5. Permissive Parenting

It’s a child’s world for permissive parents, sometimes referred to as nontraditional, indulgent parents. They have very few demands to make of their children and rarely discipline them because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control. If at any point the word “lenient” comes back into play, it’s for this type of parent. The permissive parenting style is often evidenced by individuals who try to be more friend than a parent, avoid confrontation and are generally nurturing and communicative.

6. Free-Range Parenting

Hoping none of us ever burn out enough to resort to this kind of parenting style!

What type of Parent are You?

Parenting is not a fashion, a job, or a checklist of attributes. It’s a state of being. Listen to advice, but remember it’s your life and your child. They want you to be happy as much as you want them to be. Don’t pressurize yourself into thinking you should be doing X, Y, or Z and that if you’re not, you’re somehow a ‘bad parent’. Thoughtfulness and insight are very useful – but above all, I firmly believe, if you love your children, and they know you love them, everything else will follow.

Original article: https://awesomepoweroflove.com/2015/11/30/what-is-your-parenting-style/