05/18/2022
As parents and caregivers, we tend to have a natural leaning when it comes to providing more nurture or more structure to our children. Maybe you are more naturally go with the flow and love to tell your children "yes" or maybe you thrive on order and discipline and say "no" more often.
Science and research tells us children need a balance of both nurture and structure!
So, the goal is to be mindful of our own personalities and natural inclinations so we can continually work towards being AUTHORITATIVE parents, who provide both HIGH NURTURE AND HIGH STRUCTURE.
A deeper look at each parenting style:
AUTHORITARIAN: “Because I said so”
Authoritarian parents combine high structure with low nurture. They are "my way or the highway" in their high expectations. They place a strong emphasis on obedient behavior from their children.
PERMISSIVE: “Whatever you want”
Permissive parents combine high nurture with low structure. They have very few rules, minimal expectations, and minimal consequences. They take more of an “anything goes” approach.
UNINVOLVED: “I don’t care”
Uninvolved parents combine low nurture with low structure. They give a lot of freedom with a hands off approach to parenting. They offer limited engagement and have little to no expectations of their children.
AUTHORITATIVE: “Let’s discuss this”
Authoritative parents combine high structure with high nurture. Their rules are clear, reasonable, and flexible and their expectations are set appropriate for the child’s skills and abilities. They prioritize their children’s needs and discipline through guidance. They engage in frequent communication that is appropriate for the child’s developmental level. There is an ongoing balance of nurture and structure offered to their child.
AUTHORITATIVE is the GOAL!
