Parenting styles are a hot topic! Google searches for "parenting styles" have skyrocketed by 400% recently. While many modern resources focus on approaches like gentle, positive, or lighthouse parenting, it appears many are also interested in a more traditional style: authoritative parenting.
"Authoritative" was actually the most-searched parenting style in March 2025. Part of the interest may stem from its frequent confusion with authoritarian parenting, as noted by pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin. "It's easy to mix them up," she explains.
However, these two styles are vastly different, leading to significantly different outcomes for children, both in the short and long term.
Dictatorial parenting
Dr. Amin describes authoritarian parenting as a "rigid, top-down approach," where parents prioritize control and offer little warmth.
"Discussion and collaboration are minimal," she states. "Picture a parent who insists, 'Do it because I said so.'"
Instead of explaining boundaries, a dictatorial parent often punishes children for disapproved behavior, with punishments that frequently "don't fit the crime," according to Amin.
Imagine a child's tantrum in a store. "A dictatorial parent might say, 'Stop crying. We're leaving, and no park tomorrow,'" Amin illustrates. "There's no acknowledgment of feelings, just a threat."
While this approach might yield quick obedience, it can harm children long-term. Individuals raised this way may struggle to express emotions and are more susceptible to anxiety and mental health issues. Experts, including Dr. Amin, consider it "harsh and unlikely to produce positive results."
Developmental psychologist and author Aliza Pressman adds that even the immediate effects are negative. Children may become more afraid of connecting with parents, potentially leading to risky behaviors to avoid honesty.
This pattern can escalate as children mature. "Teenagers might prefer a hospital bed or police station to revealing rule-breaking to you," Pressman warns.
Guiding parenting
Authoritative parenting, conversely, balances empathy and clear limits.
"It involves high expectations combined with strong support," Amin explains.
If a child doesn't clean their room, the response isn't punishment but a discussion about the importance of tidiness. The parent acknowledges the child's feelings about the task's difficulty but still expects it to be completed.
This method may require more patience initially, but its long-term benefits are substantial.
"Research indicates that this parenting style fosters more competent, emotionally stable children and adults who handle life's stresses better," Amin notes.
Children feel safer with authoritative parents due to the empathy and clearly communicated rules, adds Pressman.
"They feel guided by your appropriate and safe boundaries, yet within those boundaries, they have the freedom to express themselves and be who they are," she says.
Picture: Authoritarian vs Authoritative Parenting (Gemini)
