Writer: Shahd Mohammed
You may not know it, but your day-to-day behaviour, from the way you drive to the tone of your voice, is shaping the way your child will act for the rest of their life. Psychologists refer to this as the influence of parent socialization, the way children learn the behaviours and skills necessary to interact in their everyday lives.
A very aggressive type of parent is referred to as authoritarian, which rates high in demand and low in responsiveness. An example of an authoritative parent would be one who demands that their kids get good grades, but do not support them or give them any recognition when they do well. An authoritarian parent would also expect their rules to be enforced without question, no matter the situation.
Authoritarian parents tend to have children that are unhappy and have low self-esteem and keep to themselves. This is most likely a result of the intense pressure from their parents to be successful, and can often result in the opposite effect, with their children doing poorly in school.
Ultimately the most important thing is to behave in a way that you would want your child to emulate, listen to your child’s needs, and set clear boundaries that are appropriate and helpful to the child. Every parent wants the best for their child and to help make this happen, remember to be aware of how your actions impact them.
