Psychology
By chamtel
@chamtel (15)
United States
February 25, 2013 6:59pm CST
In my psychology class we were discussing Authoritative vs. Authoritarian parenting styles. This leads me to the discussion of which parenting style is best? do they have a better style of teaching kids? is spankings always the answer? are punishments better then getting beatings? are the style based predominantly according to your race? Do different races raise their children (according to these standards) differently or do they have areas where they can overlap? I am not trying to judge anyone or offend anyone .. It's just that this was such an interesting and highly argumentive conversation that I wanted others views on this subject. Please don't feel embarrassed to use examples I just want to get a sense of the difference between the two or if a difference exist .
3 people like this
3 responses
@kalyani1234 (637)
• India
26 Feb 13
Hello Chamtel, this is quite an interesting topic. In my opinion, it is not a very hard and fast rule that there is always a distinction between the two styles. Any sensible parent who favours authoritative parenting style will have resorted to the authoritarian style at one point or the other. Mostly it will have to a combination of both styles. Again what works for me and my son may not work for another parent and her child. For eg. my son is of a very gentle and sensitive nature and at the same time he is quite funny and naughty too. So most of the time being authoritative works well for both of us. Yet some days, he will be total obstinate and no matter how hard I try, how much I cajole him, he won't budge in to what I want him to do. So I have to give him a spank or two at times.
I think it does not really depend on the races, but it definitely differs according to the economic levels of parents. Like I have noticed it with economically lower classes, people do not think twice before beating up their children and abusing them verbally. In educated and economically okay families, people usually don't do that, of course, such things do happen in those families too but the proportion is quite less.
1 person likes this
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
2 Mar 13
Hi,
welcome to mylot.It is very interesting topic. When my son is small I was always busy in my work. my wife had taken all the responsibility to raise my son. She is very kind and soft. She don't like to behave rudely with children. Now my son is 24 years old and he is a very nice son. I helped her whenever I can. But all credit goes to her.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
26 Feb 13
i think culture has a lot to do with how children are raised. some cultures believe in spanking, others do not. i think the real solution lies somewhere in between. a certain level of corporal punishment may be need, for young children as the last resort. i grew up with corporal punishment as part of my families culture. they didn't abuse me, just gave my a spanking after all else failed. after i got to a certain age, they didn't need to do it anymore. i think that is the best way. taking things away, or banning doesn't always work. a really defiant kid won't care after a while.
