True and tried authoritarian parenting is often given a number of mixed reviews when it comes to parenting styles. As some sing its praises, many ring the alarm against it being an overly rigid approach. In this article, we are going to explore authoritarian parenting behaviors and the effects of raising children with an angry type of personality alongside comparing them to other types. We’ll sprinkle in some authoritarian parenting examples to show you how these tactics play out IRL. This complete guide will help you explore nearly all elements of the authoritarian parenting style – so whether you are a parent seeking better understanding or someone just interested in how bad this can be, keep reading.
What are 4 of the characteristics of an authoritarian parenting style?
Authoritarian parenting is characterized by high demands and control while showing little warmth or responsiveness. This is the parenting style that typically results in an overprotected child. Here are four fundamental traits of this type of parent:
- Strict Rules and Expectations. Authoritarian parents set strict rules and expect their children to obey them without exception. These rules can also be strict with very few margins. For instance, a child might have an official bedtime every night and any vying from that course earns severe punishment.
- Large Obedience Threshold. In a household ruled by authoritarianism, obedience is the main objective. The parents believe that the children must follow instructions. This often results in an environment where children believe they have little freedom because everything is being decided for them. An example would be expecting a child to do all of their homework as soon as they walk in the home from school.
- Limited Emotional Engagement. Authoritarian parents are not generally warm and affectionate. They may be less inclined to praise or show physical touch towards their children, and more so in correcting negative behavior and enforcing rules. In doing so you run the risk of making your home a less child-friendly or inviting place to be.
- Punitive Discipline Methods. In authoritarian parenting, discipline is often used as a punishment. This can be anything from a frown to sadistic behavior such as spanking. This is a reactive strategy primarily attempting to enhance compliance among unwanted behavior through fear of punishment. Let us take the example of a kid who has talked back to his parents and was grounded for weeks.
What kind of children are raised by authoritarian parents?
There are various indicators and characteristics of children raised in authoritarian homes. The increased control combined with the lower warmth common within this parenting style can contribute significantly to these traits. The kinds of characteristics usually seen in children raised by authoritarian parents are as follows:
- Obedient and Proficient. Those reared in authoritarian homes develop exceptional rule-following skills and the ability to live up to expectations. They are more likely to be highly disciplined, conscientious, and responsive to a set of strict rules they have been brought up with.
- Lower Self-Esteem. This can also contribute to a decrease in self-esteem on the part of these children, all coming from not feeling any emotional warmth and being put under high standards. They may feel like they are not worthy of recognition but only if they follow rules well enough and accomplish things then they might be considered lovable.
- Anxiety Issues. As a result, someone with C-PTSD is almost guaranteed to develop higher levels of anxiety and depression than most other people. This unrelenting pressure to be ‘good enough’ for the parents as well as that fear of punishment can result in more vulnerability, anxiety, and depressive disorders. As a result, these children may take their struggles, bottle them up, and have to deal with the end product which would be mental health issues.
- Less Social Competence. Kids of authoritarian parents may have trouble socializing. Their home life can be so strict they might not have a chance to develop needed social skills, and that has made it difficult for them in relationships beyond the house. They might struggle to make autonomous decisions and step forward in social aspects of life.
What are authoritarian parenting examples?
When we see some examples it is simple to succeed before understanding authoritarian parenting. Below, find a select few instances where these styles of parenting became relatable to life.
Homework Time
Consider a family, if one child comes home from school and has to start their homework right away with no break. The parent grades the homework, and errors are heavily corrected. No compromise is considered and any delay or questioning on the part of the child will be seen as defiance – for which a reprimand follows.
Curfew Enforcement
Even on weekends, a teenager needs to be back home by 9 PM. This curfew is non-negotiable, even if their friends are allowed to stay out later. Come home a minute late and this teen might get grounded for the week or lose their phone. Typically, the parent has zero flexibility about this rule: Special event or no special event; Transportation issue, or car accident.
Chores and Responsibilities
This involves an authoritarian family where their child has to follow a daily routine consisting of many tasks. If a child does not complete his/her work as assigned, or if the chores are done imperfectly, for example, he/she may face punishment and lose individual respect. You will hardly find any praise for a job well done and parents focus on making you realize all the things that are wrong with what you do in your work discipline.
Educational Expectations
A parent with an authoritarian style would have exceptionally high expectations for their child’s academic performance. All lesser grades are unacceptable. The child may be placed in several classes and even after-school activities with little to no preference. In the parent’s fear of collusion, failing to do well will result in things like at-home schooling.
How authoritarian parenting style affect child development?
The impacts of this type of parenting on a developing child can be severe and persist long-term. There are effects both in the short term and long term, which manifest themselves in a child’s emotional health as well as psychological aspects.
Short-Term Effects
- Immediate Compliance: Over the short run, kids tend to remain well-behaved. They can do well in a structured environment, such as the classroom, and appear, to be behaving.
- Stress and Anxiety: The pressure to perform at such a high level can cause immediate distress and anxiety, while the fear of punishment also exists. Children may suffer physical ailments, such as chronic headaches or stomach aches resulting from the continual stress.
- Limited Emotional Expression: In an environment where emotions aren’t openly shown or discussed, a child may have difficulty articulating how they feel. This could result in said partner shutting down and repressing themselves ultimately avoiding conflict.
Long-Term Effects
- Mental Health Issues: Chronic exposure to authoritarian parenting has also been linked with the presence of life-span mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Self-destructive tendencies and the absence of meaningful emotional support are among these reasons.
- Relationship Challenges: As an adult with children raised by authoritarian parents it can be difficult to create and maintain a healthy relationship because it could lead to chronic compliance towards authority figures, or possibly even strife with individuals of higher status if they have challenges carrying out the dynamic in a balanced way.
- Academic and Career Pressure: Academic success, career pressure – working adults whose parents were authoritative as described above may have high expectations for their own children. The consequences of this can be an unrelenting pattern in which they persistently set targets that are too high for themselves, resulting in more often than not chronic stress and burnout throughout life.
- Resentment and Rebellion: Have you noticed your child is giving an attitude even more than what they used to give before puberty hit them or eventually became adult, well this might be due to resentment that the child starts developing towards his parents over time. By the time a child reaches adolescence, this has often created an intense pressure cooker scenario that culminates in teenagers outright rejecting their parents’ values and authority… sometimes acting out in rebellion against it.
Authoritarian parenting vs Authoritative parenting
Although authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles may sound alike, this particular style is described differently for one very good reason: it contrasts greatly with how discipline is reinforced compared to that of the other two.
Discipline Approaches
Authoritarian Parenting
- Emphasis on control and obedience.
- Punish people in order to drive discipline
- The rules are usually non-negotiable and rigid.
Authoritative Parenting
- It establishes rules and expectations, but less rigidly.
- Positive reinforcement and logical consequences to modify behavior.
- Teaches kids why the rules are as they are.
Variations in Warmth and Communication
Authoritarian Parenting
- Shows less warmth, and cold in their emotions.
- This communication is most often one-directional: from parent to child.
- Stresses conformity rather than comprehension.
Authoritative Parenting
- Shows high levels of warmth and affection.
- Promotes two-way, open communication.
- The child is valuable and respects his or her point of view.
Impact on Child Development and Behavior
Authoritarian Parenting
- Creates compliant & disciplined children at the price of emotional well-being.
- Linked to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and feelings of low self-worth.
- This leads to providing you with both submissive and defiant behavior in adult life.
Authoritative Parenting
- Tends to yield the most emotionally balanced children.
- Impact self-esteem; more success in school and well-adjusted social behavior.
- When it comes to emotions the children are more self-regulating.
My advice on Authoritarian parenting
While authoritarian parenting may appear effective in the short term because of its focus on obedience and control, it is important to examine what effects that parenting style has on a child over time. If you have any issues with authoritarian parenting, you may check:
- Improve emotional warmth. Show more love and encouragement to your kids. Little things like hugs, telling your child that you are proud of them, and spending time with the kids can help ensure their emotional well-being.
- Encourage open communication. Assist your kids in sharing their thoughts and emotions with you. Actively listen and validate, forming a bond between you and your child through respect.
- Positive discipline: You are coming from a place of love rather than using the source as a discipline. Praise the desired behavior and apply logical consequences to undesired ones. This way, instead of creating fear we spread understanding and cooperation.
- Rule It, but be flexible with rules. Although rules are necessary, being open to them is also essential. Provide some exceptions and negotiate so the kickoff team/player knows why a rule or technique is incorrect. Allowing them to try new things in a safe learning environment will help promote good decision-making and critical thinking.
- Role model. Children learn by watching their parents. Lead by example better matching set respect, empathy effective communication, etc.
- Use parental controls properly. Parental controls app like FlashGet Kids can help parents enforce discipline while staying warm in their approach. The app provides a means for parents to watch, take care of, and guide children concerning online discipline by providing a safe way out from the Internet. It provides mechanisms to encourage healthier screen-time habits, offering a modern solution for digital-age parents.
This way, parents can help their kids gain confidence and develop into well-adjusted human beings who are emotionally sound.
