What Are Parenting Styles?

Effects on Gifted Children: An introduction to parenting style and how it can affect your gifted child’s outcomes in school and life. Part 2 of 2

There are three more parenting styles I considered when interviewing the now-adult subjects for the longitudinal study: Authoritative, Permissive, and Neglectful. I also briefly address Neurodiversity and Twice-Exceptional Children.

Authoritative

Another parenting style is authoritative, and because authoritative and authoritarian sound so much alike, it helps to have a way to remember the difference.

An authoritarian leader is also called a dictator, even if benevolent. The authoritarian makes the rules, and the citizens — or in this case, the children — must follow the rules, do what the dictator says, or suffer the consequences.

Like authoritarian parents, those with an authoritative parenting style also establish rules and guidelines.

However, the authoritative style is more democratic. These parents are receptive to their children’s viewpoints and willing to listen to questions. They “monitor and impart clear standards for their children’s conduct. Though assertive, they are not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are supportive, not punitive. They want their children to be assertive as well as…