With many different ways of parenting, children are given various tools to grow and develop. From overbearing to uninvolved, the way adults parent their children often has long-lasting effects on their personality, independence, and life skills.
There are many different approaches to parenting. Some parents will micromanage their children’s lives, preventing them from developing important skills, while other parents don’t offer any support. Human Growth and Development teacher Donna Davis understands the impact different parenting styles have on children.
“Parents are responsible for not only ensuring their children are having those physical needs met, but they’re also responsible for encouraging intellectual development. You’re teaching your children about emotions and how they handle them,” said Davis. “Those overbearing parents tend to have kids that grow up, but they can’t make decisions on their own. They never had that opportunity to say, ‘Well I want to do this,’ because everyone’s always told them what to do. Those uninvolved parents, the kids aren’t going to feel loved, and they’re not going to be able to have a lot of trust in relationships. It takes a while to overcome things like that for them.”
For kids, having supportive and encouraging parents is crucial to developing self-confidence. It provides an environment that allows them to grow in multiple aspects of life. Sophomore Amaya Smith appreciates the high expectations and support her parents have for her.
“My parents like to be strict, it’s what people know as tough love. They expect big things like A’s, being athletic, and being open to new programs, and it shows me they care. Kids need to have their own skills to actually be successful,” said Smith. “I’ve seen people parenting a lot less strict, and being more lenient. I feel like being lenient to an extent is fine, but that’s not really how parenting should be.”
Promoting independence is another vital aspect of parenting. Allowing children to be independent helps develop social and problem-solving skills kids wouldn’t have if their parents were in total control of their lives. Ella Beason, a sophomore, has learned valuable lessons from the independence her parents give her.
“I learned to rely on myself for a lot of things, and that led to me being a lot more independent. Now that I’m older, my parents kind of just let me be independent and don’t interfere,” said Beason. “It’s taught me self-reliance. I’ve gotten really good at managing and saving money. I saved for a car. I bought it myself; they didn’t help me with that. I’m planning my whole life, and I feel like it does give me an upper hand because I have that experience managing all of that.”
Proper communication between parents and their children is important to maintaining a healthy relationship. The ability to confide in their parents about difficult emotions and topics greatly benefits mental health. Sophomore Madison Melo feels grateful for the open communication she has with her parents.
“I feel like I can tell my parents anything, so I can just be more free. I don’t worry if they’re gonna yell at me for saying something. I think if kids can’t communicate, it has them bottling up how they feel. They feel like they can’t tell anyone because they’re not going to listen to them. If they get mad it’s not the kids’ fault. They’re not listening to what they’re saying, they’re just reacting,” said Melo.
Another aspect of communication is handling conflict. When an issue arises between a parent and child, it’s important to work through it calmly and logically. Choir director Karyn Myers tries her best to understand the perspective of her daughter when they disagree.
“We don’t normally disagree, we’re very much on the same page. I am not a person to get angry or raise my voice. Instead, if there’s a disagreement, we talk it through and I listen to what she has to say. I think it’s very important to listen to your child and not just assume that because you’re the adult, you know everything,” said Myers. “I listen to what she has to say, and then explain my point of view. If we still disagree, we’ll come to somewhat of a compromise, but I have the last say about how things are going to go.”
Parenting is a key part of how children develop, and it’s a parent’s job to ensure their child will be successful. As they grow, providing the proper support and guidance is essential to establishing the skills children will need to accomplish their goals and have a bright future.
