I remember one of the first topics we did back then in SS1 specifically civic education was type of parenting (or something of such) ever since we've been taught the topic, I have been on the look out to find out about the parenting types in reality.

A short story.

Today while in church, a girl brought a puppy to the children department, I was shocked to see it but then I kept quiet, I only made sure that others, who by then have gotten carried away by the dog,attention was brought back to what we were talking about before the girl walked in.

Few minutes into the continuation of what we were discussing, the mother walked in surprised to see the girl with the puppy. She then asked her why she brought it to church and the daughter pointed to her elder sister who was also sitting close by saying it was her(elder sister) who told her to bring it along.

The woman started rebuking them both and threatened to give them Tfare to return the dog, knowing that their house is quite far. Well she later pardoned them and let them keep it.

Not long after that, a parent came and started asking after the puppy, saying her children ran from the children department because of a dog, so she came to verify for herself why there is a dog in the class. When she found it with one of the girls she threatened to kill the dog and even blamed we the teachers for allowing such (we didn't but since the mother has reproved them we didn't think it was necessary for us to do that again), when she was done talking she left, we later found out from the teacher who teaches her children's class that her children were never in class to begin with, even before the girl came in with the puppy. (This department can be frustrating at times😄)

Well, after that the girl's mother, who i think must have sensed what the other woman came for, came to collect the puppy and took it to the car with windows down and asked the girls' younger brother to sit with it in the car.

They came in a car?!

Yes they did which simply means an adult was aware that the children took the puppy with them, I mean they can't drive on their own someone definitely drove them down and it turned out to be their father.

Surprised,right?

Seeing the way their mother reproved them only shows that she won't allow such but their father did. And in my conclusion with everything that happened today, he is to blame, these children didn't know that what they were about to do before they left home was wrong but i'm sure he does and he didn't reprimand them for such.

And this leads me to the title of this article.

Styles of parenting

We all know that training/raising a child doesn't come with a manual, if it does i'm sure raising children will be an easy walk. There are four known style/type of parenting. And they include;

1. Permissive Parent: This is the type of parent who allows children decide for themselves, hardly set rules, they are highly responsive and low demanding. They go the extreme to make they children happy and play a friendship role rather than a parenting role.

   Examples of such; the father in the story above.

2. Neglectful parent: This is the type of parent who never have time for their children, they allow their children fend for themselves, they are low demanding and low in responsiveness. They don't even bother about rules. They can be known as the I don't care kind of parent. This type of parenting is most common in Africa where couples give birth to lot of children and leave them to fend for themselves. Under this type we have the owanbe parents who will rather spend their money buying expensive party clothes than fend for or send their children to school.

3. Authoritative parent: This is the type of parent who communicate with their children from time to time, they take into thought their children's opinion and emotions, they are highly responsive and highly demanding, they make rules and expectations while also being pliable and understanding. Under this type we have parents who allow they children go through natural consequences and use such opportunities to teach their children. Children under this parenting tend to be discipline and have a mind of their own.

   Examples of such parent I can think of is Sonya Carson, mother of the famous neurosurgeon Ben Carson(found out about this in his book think big)

4. Authoritarian parent: This is the type of parenting where communication is mostly one-way, that is from the parent. They set strict rules with little to no consideration of their children's thoughts, emotions or feelings. They are highly demanding and low in responsiveness. Also known as the no nonsense parents. Under this type are children who see their parents coming and run for dear life😄. I really don't need to give an instance, most of us can relate with this, especially here in Africa.

Which is the best style of parenting?

Well for me, I would go for Authoritative parenting but as the common saying goes one road/way doesn't lead to the market. The best would probably be knowing when to switch from one parenting style to another.

Conclusion

What your thought on the best style of parenting? And which style were you brought up with? Also which style would you raise your children with?

I look forward to your comments.

And thank you for taking your precious time to read through this.

And don't mind the today in the story above I started typing this an hour or two to 12am. I don't want to change it tho.