Raising a kid into a good human is one of the most challenging tasks.
It is not just their physical or financial needs that a parent needs to cater to. It is rather the unspoken emotional and psychological needs of a child that every parent should understand and attend to.
Recent studies have revealed that parents play a major role in determining the nature, attitude, career, intelligence, and other aspects of their kid’s character. It is not just the parenting but also the genetics and environment that determines a child’s life.
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Parenting influence on a child
No matter what’s your style of parenting, it is sure to leave a lasting imprint on your child.
But it’s not just your parenting style that influences your kid, genes are also a powerful determinant. Several studies have shown that siblings or twins separated at birth tend to share similar traits. Another study quoted that the environment or parenting style has surprisingly little impact on the kid as most things are determined by the DNA.
In another study, researchers found that parents have little influence on their children’s health, life expectancy, education, and religious choices. However, they do have some impact on the choices of drug and alcohol use or sexual behavior.
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The parenting effect is where you live
A very interesting and emerging aspect of the parenting effect is that parenting differs on the basis of where you live. Hilary Clinton had penned a book titled ‘it takes a village to raise a child. It is not just the parents but also the supporting family, neighbors, and society that helps in building the child’s character.
Studies are now supporting this as multiple surveys found that children born in certain neighborhoods are more likely to be successful than others. One such study noted that children born in Michigan, are more likely to be successful. This could be because of the fact that this locality is booming with professors and upper-middle-class professionals.
Hence, kids grow up with the same aspirations. Whereas kids belonging to rural areas faces more hurdles in making their path to success and that’s why the ratio of successful kids from rural areas is meager as compared to the rich localities. Another study found that the best cities can increase a child’s future income by almost 12 percent.
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Parenting styles and effect on the child
When it comes to parenting styles, every parent has a very unique approach. The most common styles of parenting are authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved. Each of these styles is very different and shapes your child in different ways.
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Authoritarian Parenting
This is primarily the traditional old-school parenting style where the parents make the rules and the kids must follow them without exception. They do not explain or negotiate and their only focus is obedience.
In this style of parenting the kid grows up in a very restrictive environment. They do not get to develop their own problem-solving skills as most of the decisions are taken by the parent, they can also be indecisive and highly dependent. They are also at a higher risk of developing self-esteem problems. They are also more likely to become aggressive.
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Authoritative Parenting
This is another type of parenting in which the parents set the rules but they do consider their children’s opinions. They validate their child’s feelings while also making sure of the boundaries.
An authoritative parent invests time and energy with their kids. They enforce positive discipline strategies, praise their kids, and reward them to encourage goodness. Studies have found that kids of authoritative parents are more likely to become responsible citizens. They are also more comfortable expressing their opinions. Their likelihood of success and happiness is higher.
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Permissive Parenting
Permissive parenting is more like modern parenting where parents are more lenient and open. They are forgiving and do not enforce rules or threaten consequences. Such parents have a more friendly relationship with the kids and encourage their children to talk it out.
Some studies suggest that kids that grow up with permissive parents are more likely to struggle academically. They may also exhibit behavioral problems as they do not know about restrictions or limitations. Such kids also exhibit a higher risk of health problems like obesity, unhealthy eating, dental cavities, and more.
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Uninvolved Parenting
Another emerging form of parenting is uninvolved parenting. Uninvolved parents tend to have little interest and investment in their child’s life. The children do not receive much guidance, nurturing, and parental attention.
Uninvolved parents do not invest their time or money into meeting their child’s needs. They are neglectful whether intentionally or intentionally. It could be because of financial strains, mental health issues, substance abuse, or any other reason. They constantly fail to fulfill their child’s physical or emotional needs. Children growing up in such household perform poorly, exhibit behavior problems, and struggles more in life.
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Your takeaway!
Parenting is a tough job and it depends on the individual choice of the parent on how to raise their kids. The ideal is a blend of all the techniques but as they say, there is no perfect parenting formula and it all comes down to exploring and inventing your way of parenting!
