The authoritarian style of education
What is the authoritarian parenting style?
The authoritarian parenting style is a parenting style that is characterised by strictness and control. Parents who use this style are usually very inflexible and tend to criticise and punish their children. They also expect their children to obey them. This parenting style is widespread in many cultures and is often considered the traditional or classical parenting style. However, many experts believe that it is not effective and can lead to social exclusion.
The positive effects of an authoritarian parenting style
There are some positive aspects of the authoritarian parenting style that should not be ignored. For one, it teaches children self-discipline and respect. These two virtues are very important to succeed in life. Secondly, the authoritarian parenting style promotes children’s ability to follow instructions. This is important to ensure that children function well in a structured environment. However, the authoritarian parenting style should be used with caution as it can also have negative effects. For example, it can lead to anxiety and behavioural problems in children. It can also make it difficult for children to accept criticism or follow instructions later in life.
Dangers – An extreme perspective on parenting style
The authoritarian parenting style is a parenting style where parents or other guardians give clear rules and instructions and enforce them. In this style, children are often not involved in decision-making and must abide by the strict rules. This style is also called “military” or “disciplined” parenting style. Parents who use the authoritarian parenting style are often very strict and may physically or emotionally abuse their children. They expect their children to follow the rules completely and do not tolerate back-talk or criticism. In some cases, they may also try to control their children through fear of punishment. This style of parenting is often criticised as it is associated with a number of negative effects on the children. These include low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, social isolation and a reduced ability to solve problems.
Solution – The combination of strictness and love
Most parenting styles fall into two categories: Strictness and laissez-faire. In recent years, however, it has been shown that a combination of the two is most successful. This style of parenting is called authoritative or democratic and relies equally on rules and limits as well as love and attention. While strict parents tend to be authoritarian and punish children harshly when they do something wrong, laissez-faire guardians try to let their children grow up completely free and rarely intervene. However, both extremes have their disadvantages. Strict parents risk their children developing anxiety or even rebelling, while the children of laissez-faire educators tend to be undisciplined and develop poor social skills. Authoritative parenting is therefore based on the ideal combination of strictness and love: rules and boundaries are clearly defined, but at the same time the relationship with the child is always in the foreground. This ensures that the child’s needs are not neglected, but that the child still learns to act within certain limits.
Conclusion – Is the authoritarian parenting style still up to date?
If we look at the results of the studies, we can see that the authoritarian parenting style is no longer as effective as it once was. Children today are very bright and curious and learn a lot from other children or from the internet. If they are constantly “educated” with threats and violence, they feel helpless and insecure. So it is time for a new style of parenting based more on trust and cooperation.