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What Style of Parent Are You?
Parents rely on certain strategies for raising their children. Do any of the parenting styles below seem familiar to you?
AUTHORITARIAN Authoritarian parents tend to use parental power to control their children. Teens must do what they are told or else face serious consequences. Parents are unconcerned if teens understand the reasons behind rules. Parents don’t tolerate teens asking for explanations. Parents use threats and punishment to keep teens in line.
Research shows that teens who feel threatened by their parents may behave well when the threatening parent is nearby, but act out when the threatening parent is gone. These teens have difficulty behaving properly without external control. Children of authoritarian parents are less likely to develop internalized values that equip them to make wise decisions. Two parents, two styles? Sometimes parents have different styles. For example, a father might be authoritarian while the mother is overprotective. This can create even more confusion for the child as he or she attempts to meet the expectations of both parents.
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