PERMISSIVE Permissive parents take a hands-off approach. They: • Do not set expectations. Instead, they feel teens should be independent. • Permit their teen to explore the world without “interfering.” • Feel kids should be free to make mistakes and learn from them accordingly. Permissive parents may not face as much rebellion as authoritarian or overprotective parents do. But overly permissive parents deprive their children of wise guidance in developing effective problem-solving skills. Children of permissive parents can come to feel that their parents do not love them or care about them. These teens feel neglected and believe that their parents have little interest in what they do or the activities they are involved in. This, in turn, can lead to resentment. Research shows: Teens of permissive style parents tend to drink more often and heavier, ride with others who are impaired, drive while impaired themselves, experience more problems in school and with the law, and are also more likely to be victims of crime. They also report having parents who are less willing to talk with them and have poorer relationships with their parents as well.
Parents Do Make a Difference. Despite how you may feel sometimes, research shows that parents are an important influence on whether or not teens choose to drink alcohol, or use other drugs.
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