Traditional parenting is best for children
Traditional parenting that emphasises parental authority, discipline, and high expectations, is most likely to lead to well-adjusted children, according to researchers from London’s Institute of Education.
The best parenting was characterised by high expectations that children would act with the maturity befitting their age. Supervision and discipline was also key, as was responsiveness to children’s needs.
‘Multiple studies have documented that children who have authoritative parents – that is, both firm disciplinarians and warm, receptive caregivers – are more competent than their peers at developmental periods, including pre-school, school age and adolescence,’ said the report.
The report also criticised contemporary notions of “good enough” parenting as more likely to produce children with low self-esteem.