OVERPROTECTIVE Overprotective parents shield their kids from the harsh realities of life. Like authoritarian parents, they exert a lot of control, but their method is different. Instead of using rules and threats, overprotective parents present themselves as allies. They see the world as a threat and express their fearfulness. Then they rescue their son or daughter from dealing with any harsh reality. Q - Do different parenting styles work better for different kids? A - Research shows that positive parenting is the only parenting style that’s consistently linked with kids who make better decisions For example, instead of helping their child understand difficult homework assignments, overprotective parents might actually do the work for them. This leaves the child poorly prepared for the realities of adult life. Having no experience in handling challenging situations, these kids may panic in stressful situations. PERMISSIVE RULE SETTING Parents who have permissive rule setting use a hands-off approach. They: Do not set expectations. Instead, they believe their son or daughter should be independent.
Permit kids to explore the world without “interfering.” Feel kids should be free to make mistakes and learn from them accordingly. Permissive rule setting parents may not face as much rebellion as authoritarian or overprotective parents do. However, overly permissive rule setting parents deprive their child of wise guidance in developing effective problem-solving skills. A child of permissive rule setting parents can come to feel neglected and believe that their parents have little interest in what they do. This, in turn, can lead to resentment. Research shows: when they drink illegally, kids of permissive rule setting style parents tend to have significantly higher than average blood alcohol levels compared to other underage drinkers.
Parents do make a difference Despite how you may feel sometimes, research shows that parents are the number one influence on whether or not a child chooses to drink alcohol.
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