Empower your child with this New Age Parenting Style

                                  Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Being a Parent is the hardest job on the planet. You are not only raising a child butalso building the future! Though there have been many views and counter-views on the ways to raise children, some basics essential remain the same.You will agree that there is a huge difference between the way children were raised in the previous generation and the way children are raised now. We want our children to not only be successful individuals but also add value to
the world through their presence. Most parents of young kids are in the Millenials or Gen Z bracket. According to a report in Bangalore Mirror, various studies conducted worldwide reveal that only 56% of millennials & 45% of Gen Z consider themselves to have good mental health.

These results may have astonished you. When Parents themselves are under so
much mental stress, how can we ensure that our children have a happy and content life? When parents carry the tag of  “The most depressed generation”, it’s obvious that the style of parenting that these parents adopt has to be very different. The children Born between 2011-2025 are the Gen Alpha.

This generation faces the problem of addiction, cost of living, and climate change.
Gen Alpha Kids are born at a time when technology is taking huge advances. They live more in the digital world than the physical world. They are clear about
inclusivity, climate change, and whatnot. Parenting style is a combination of the attitude and behavior of the parents and the way they use these under different conditions, to shape their children’s personality.

Diana Baumrind, Eleanor Maccoby, and John Martin developed the four styles of
Parenting.

1. Permissive
In this style, the parents permit any behavior and whims and fancies of the child.
The child determines what works and what doesn’t, iin this method. For obvious
reasons, this can lead to indiscipline and unacceptable behavior, low grades, and unclear boundaries.

2. Authoritative
The Parent is the Boss here. They spank, scold and punish the child at the drop of a hat. There is no freedom of expression for the child. Children of such parents
become social recluses and have a diminished sense of self and are unable to make decisions on their own. The eminent lower self-esteem can cause mental health issues in such children. They may also display behaviors of anger and irritation on growing up which may further make them lean toward the dictator mindset.

3.Neglectful
As the name suggests there is a bond between the child and the parent. Any
behavior good or bad is given the same form of neglect. A lack of affection and
attention is the key indication of this form of parenting. The child may develop low
self-esteem and be needy in other relationships when they grow up.

4. Authoritarian:
This has been the most advocated form of parenting which brings a balance to the parent-child relationship. Clear boundaries are set keeping the warmth in the
relationship intact. As per science, there is a clear growth in the academic results of children who grow in this type of parenting style.
The children are goal-oriented and know where to draw the line. They are well
aware of their parent expectations and feel the need to adhere to the set rules and display good behavior. Though these have been the commonly used parenting styles things have changed in 2022.

New Age Parenting
The new age parent advocates peaceful parenting. These are the key points of this style.

1. Poor behavior is discussed  with children.
2. Children take ownership for their actions
3. Punitive actions are done away with. 
4. High standards and appropriate behavior are expected now.

They consider their children their equals and try to understand what goes around in their little brains.
They are up to date about the latest development in science and apply the rules of science to modify unacceptable behaviours.
Books are their greatest parenting tools. With access to such vast amount of
knowledge parents leave no stone unturned to apply the best methods of parenting.

Parents are constantly on the hook on social media and they are becoming more
aware of the need for a different approach to raising kids. In a generation where
parents become their kid& best friends the boundaries are diminishing.

Parents want their children to be resilient, wise, and successful and they want to
develop a bond with their children where the children can grow in their comfort
zone and can share anything with their parents.

Parents take this approach since they see their children as an extension of
themselves and understand their need to be understood. 

Especially when the world is going global, parents must provide a medium of
communication for their child to discuss general fluidity, their goals, ambitions.,
their nonconservative method of getting knowledge, and their willingness to lie a
life of their own. 

Parents want their children to know that they are part of their club and will stand
up for them no matter what.

Now more than ever, parents consider children on par with themselves and bring
awareness into the relationship.

About the author : Dhanya calls herself an impatient inquisitive seeker. She is an engineer mom who has learned motherhood on the job and implemented techniques by reading innumerable books and through research.