Democratic Parenting Style
Education is determined from the first years of life. It is a very important and complicated responsibility that the family must assume from the beginning. In fact, the behavior used to educate a child has been shown to affect their overall development. Our parenting style is based on the way we communicate and relate to the child. So you have to adopt a democratic parenting style.
With this phrase we can understand the importance of raising a child correctly. If we care about providing a quality education in childhood, we can avoid the appearance of emotional, psychological and social problems when these children get older.
What are the parenting styles?
There are several theories about parenting styles. One of the first and most elaborate is the one carried out by psychologist Diana Baumrind in 1967. This author took into account only the level of parental control to define three styles: authoritarian, permissive and authoritative.
Years later, in 1983, Maccoby and Martin reformulate this theory and propose that the different types of parenting are the consequence of the interaction between two dimensions :
- Affection and communication: refers to the affection, approval, acceptance and help that is given to children.
- Control and discipline: it consists of establishing a series of rules and being in charge of supervising the behavior of the children.
Based on these two characteristics, four parenting styles are established :
- Authoritarian: they demand a high level of control and discipline, but little affection and poor communication.
- Permissive: they bring a lot of affection and communication, but little control and discipline.
- Democratic: They provide a high level of affection and communication, as well as control and discipline.
- Negligent: they do not convey affection or establish good communication; neither do they apply any kind of control or discipline.
Characteristics of democratic parenting
Democratic parenting is characterized by the use of two very valuable tools: dialogue and reflection. It is not only about teaching, but also about explaining and making the norms, rights and values understood through reason, avoiding authoritarian impositions.
These mothers and fathers stimulate their children’s critical thinking and foster their autonomy. In addition, they take their needs into account and adapt to them, giving them the support and affection they require.
But it is not about being benevolent, if not about establishing a series of limits and knowing how to negotiate in the face of conflicts. That is, instead of being carried away by power and continually resorting to punishments, try to reach an agreement between parents and children through communication and listening.
In this type of upbringing, the child is the protagonist of their own education, and is guided during all stages of their life until they achieve good development in all senses.
Consequences of the democratic parenting style
Adopting a democratic parenting style causes children to grow up with a certain personality. This style of parenting brings many positive consequences in the development of children. Some of them are explained below:
- High self-esteem: they have a good perception of themselves and show confidence and security.
- Social skills: they function correctly in different contexts and social situations.
- Self-control: they are able to regulate and manage their emotions and behaviors, without being impulsive when acting.
- Autonomy: they have the ability to make their own decisions, carry out their actions and assume their responsibilities without depending on others.
Therefore, if you want your child to grow up happy and become a free, independent and consistent person with his actions, you must educate him democratically. Obviously, it is not easy to find the balance between affection and discipline. But we assure you that the effort will pay off. Also, no one said that educating children was an easy task!
