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Chalyn Snow

Abnormal Psychology

20 February 2022

Parenting Styles

Just like the world we live in, parenting styles are very diverse. They differ around the

globe and what works for one parent, may not work for another parent. It all depends on the

specific child, parent, situation, circumstances, and more. There are four main types of parenting

styles including authoritarian parenting, authoritative parenting, permissive parenting and

neglectful/uninvolved parenting.

Authoritarian parents are considered to be parents who are very strict. They might believe

in discipline such as physical or more severe punishments than usual. Authoritarian parents

usually expect to be obeyed with no hesitation and they tend not to express too much affection.

Authoritative parents are considered to be parents who set limits and have rules but at the same

time do allow discussion for their rules. This could mean that if they have a rule set, they might

be willing to negotiate that rule if there is a good reason. Permissive parents are considered to act

more as the child’s “friend” than their parent. They usually do not demand much from their

children. They also usually do not discipline much. Finally, neglectful or uninvolved parents

could be considered parents who pay little to no attention to their children at all and do not care

about their children. These could include people such as drug addicts, workaholics, etc.

When asked to do this assignment, I had to think hard about who I should interview and

talk to about their children and who would be the right fit. At first, I thought I could choose my

mom. I decided this would not be the best choice because she’s my mom and I might be biased

as to what kind of parenting style she is because of however I feel at the moment. After this, I
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thought of interviewing my boyfriend’s mom. I decided that again, this would not work. This

would not work because all of her children are teenagers or grown adults. She has three sons

under the ages of 22, 19, and 14. The assignment requirements included choosing a parent who

had a child or children from the ages of 2 to 12. Finally, I decided on who was the best fit for this

paper. I chose my mom’s best friend, Beth. Although Beth has known me since I was born, I am

not too close to her as to where I would be biased. I also didn’t really know how she parented

before this, so I knew there wasn’t a huge chance for bias at all. I also knew she would be

truthful with all of her answers and would not be scared as to whether she would give me an

answer that “wouldn’t work”. She is raw and truthful as a person.

First, I asked Beth to describe her two children. She has two sons. Her eldest son, Ethan,

is 12 years old. Her youngest son, Clayton, is 8 years old. They are four years apart. Secondly, I

asked Beth about some of the rules she has for Ethan and Clayton. I also asked her if she believes

she is stricter or easier on her boys than other parents might be. Two of the big rules she has for

Ethan and Clayton are that bedtime is at the same time every night and that they must help

around the house. She said she doesn't believe she is “too strict” but that she is strict enough for

them to have respect.

When I asked Beth how often she discusses her rules and the reason(s) she has those rules

with the boys, she told me that she always discusses reasoning for her rules so that they can

understand the importance of them. I then asked her how open she would be to negotiating about

the rules to which she replied, “If they want to negotiate the rules, they need a good enough

reason. If I agree, then we will adjust.” From this statement, it sounds like she is very open to

negotiating the rules IF the boys have a very good reason for doing so. She might think about it

and decide later.

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I asked Beth what type of discipline she uses with her children and she said that her

discipline is along the lines of no electronics and extra chores. She said she thinks it works very

well with her children. So, no physical discipline. I then asked her what she thought the hardest

disciplinary issue has been with Ethan and Clayton and she replied with, “The hardest

disciplinary would be taking the electronics. They think they can fix the issue and it’s

immediately earned back, Not the case.” This shows that when Beth disciplines her children, she

expects them to not ONLY fix the issue at hand, but to also prove that they are responsible

enough to have what they lost, back.

I changed the subject and asked Beth how affectionate she is towards her kids. For this

question, I knew the answer. Since I follow her on Facebook, she is often posting videos and

pictures of her boys and filling her captions with hearts and love. Although social media is not

everything and can sometimes prove to be very fake, I know Beth and her heart. I asked her,

anyway. This is about what she thinks her parenting style is before I decide what I think. Beth

said she is very affectionate towards her boys because love and trust are very important in her

home. She added that even though friendship is always important in every relationship, she has

to be a parent first. She even added that hugs and kisses are a must in her home as this is

important to show love.

When asked how mature she believes her children should be, she answered that she

expects her kids to be mature but that she also understands they are kids and they should be

allowed to have a childhood without worrying about grown-up things. I also asked Beth that if

she were to look 10 years into the future, how she thinks her kids will turn out. Like most loving

parents, she said she thinks they will grow into good people because of the way she is raising

them. She believes they have good hearts and good values because of the home they grew up in.
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I asked Beth two more questions for the interview. The second to last question I asked

was about who has had the greatest impact on her parenting style. She answered that she doesn’t

think it was a specific person but rather multiple people that showed her what she did and didn’t

want. She said she knows how she wants Ethan and Clayton to learn and see things so she does

what she can in order for that to happen. The last question I asked Beth was what she thinks she

could do better for her children as their parent. She answered that she often thinks about how she

wishes she could be more patient with them or that she could spend more time doing what they

want to do, as well. She added, though, that at the end of the day, she realizes that she already

does that. Beth seems to be very confident in her motherly abilities, and as she should! She is a

great mother to Ethan and Clayton.

I believe the parenting style that best represents Beth and how she parents would be the

authoritative parenting style. I would not describe her as “very strict”, but I would say she is

strict enough to where they will learn from their mistakes and grow from them, as well. She sets

limits and definitely has rules, but she allows discussion and negotiation as needed for whatever

she feels appropriate. She shows them a lot of affection and overall shows her everlasting love

for them on a daily basis. I am so glad that I had this opportunity to look into parenting styles

more and figure out more about Beth as a mother and woman, overall!