Authoritative Vs Authoritarian And Permissive Parenting Styles, Parenting Styles Options

Good day to you all,

Forgive this letter in a magickal forum, but since this is a topic of general psychology, and it pertains to most all parents, I have decided to post it here since I am having some trouble finding the good in authoritarian and permissive parenting styles (research Diana Baumrind for more information). Since I belong to a debate team and am attempting to formulate a thesis in the Thomistic Method (St. Thomas Aquinas' method for how a thesis should be written) I need some good objections to the authoritative style of parenting (in other words, I need some good arguments that uphold authoritarian and permissive parenting styles).

Just to make it clear once more, I am defending the position that an authoritative parenting style is best for a child during upbringing. The only problem, as mentioned, is that I need to find objections to this and try to find coherent and reasonable reasons for upholding authoritarian and permissive parenting styles. What do you think about the matter? Why would it be best to raise children in an authoritarian and or a permissive way? I have tried researching, but almost everyone tends to agree with Baumrind. Any insights or thoughts? Your help would be most appreciated.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curi

You've got yourself a dilemma then - you've been handed both extremes of parenting to work with while your opposition has the middle.

Just a suggestion, but you may want to argue from a democratic parenting style as opposed to the nondirective style and the nonauthoritarian-directive style rather than the authoritarian-directive styles.

My reasoning for this is that nondirective styles have historically shown to cause a child with little self-control - based on the fact that they have little moral or philosophical grounding from which to work with. Never having to be in a give-and-take situation, they have trouble dealing with... or more accurately, people have trouble dealing with them.

Authoritarian-directive style, I'd object to also, simply because it's the exact opposite - it crushes creativity.

However, the democratic parenting style is interesting. The child is given the information on a given situation, and together with the parents, works out a solution. I think that stance might serve you best - since it emphasises creativity, but also gives the child responsibility. In turn, it allows the parents to guide the child's growth without having to dictate to them how they should act.

Nonauthoritarian-directive is (or I guess, can be) sort of more of a monastic style. Ordering the child to perform certain actions, without necessarily explaining why. If done correctly, I imagine that it can cause the child to bloom later, having formulated a philosophy of morality from their experiences... but that's iffy ground I'd imagine.