Best Parenting Styles Decoded: Raise Happy, Confident, and Successful Kids

Without a doubt, parenting is one of the most rewarding yet challenging roles in life. 

Every parent wants to raise happy, confident, and responsible children, but there’s no single formula for success.

So, we first need to understand different parenting styles.

Parenting styles are responsible for how children grow emotionally, socially, and intellectually. It is also true that several other factors, such as surroundings and friends, also play a role. 

But most importantly, the way we interact with our kids influences everything from self-esteem to decision-making skills.

In short, it’s not what you say but what you show.

So, we should be aware of various approaches and reflect on our own methods. This helps us understand what works best for the child’s personality and age and make adjustments when needed.

In this article, we’ll explore the major parenting styles, their effects on child development, and how parents can adapt their approach to support their child’s growth. 

Understanding these styles can make a world of difference in raising confident and well-adjusted kids for both new parents as well as for someone who wants to refine or combine their parenting styles.

Let’s get started…

What Is the Relationship Between a Child’s Behavior and Parenting Style?

Your behavior and your parenting style play a huge role in shaping your child’s behavior, mindset, and emotional well-being. 

It’s not just how you parent or what you communicate with them, they also observe non-verbal cues more easily. For example, when you show enthusiasm for reading, sports, or creative projects like art or science experiments, your child picks up on that excitement and begins to enjoy learning and exploring new ideas.

On the other hand, if you tell your child to remain calm and patient, yet frequently display unreasonable anger or frustration in front of them, they might struggle to manage their own emotions. They also think it is okay to express anger in unhealthy ways.

Again, we want you to know that children learn by observing and experiencing. So the environment you create at home directly impacts their personality and behavior. To be specific, your chosen type of parenting style affects children differently. 

Traits That Affect a Child’s Behavior Depending on Different Parenting Styles

Different types of parenting styles can shape several key traits in your child, mainly:

Self-Esteem – Encouragement and emotional support help children feel valued. Harsh discipline or neglect can lower self-confidence.

Emotional Regulation – Children raised in supportive environments learn to handle emotions better, while those from overly strict or neglectful homes may struggle with anger or anxiety.

Independence & Decision-Making – When children are given opportunities to make choices, they become more responsible and confident in their abilities.

Social Skills – Parenting styles that encourage communication help children build better relationships, while overly strict or neglectful parenting may lead to social difficulties.

Resilience & Problem-Solving – Kids raised with structure and guidance develop better-coping skills compared to those who grow up without clear boundaries.

Different Parenting Styles That You Should Know

The way you parent has a lasting impact on your child’s growth and development. There are different parenting styles, each shaping how your child learns, behaves, and interacts with the world. 

Some parents naturally follow a particular style, while others may combine different approaches depending on the situation. The key is awareness—knowing the strengths and limitations of each style helps create a nurturing environment where children thrive.

Here’s a quick overview of a comparison of different types of parenting styles. 

Let’s understand these styles in detail so they can help you become more intentional in your approach and create a positive, supportive environment for your child.

a. Authoritative Parenting Style

If you’re looking for a balanced approach to parenting, the authoritative parenting style is one of the best. This parenting style balances warmth and discipline while raising a child. You set clear expectations and boundaries while also encouraging open communication and independence. 

Unlike the other parenting styles, which are too lenient or too strict, authoritative parenting finds the middle ground. You guide your child with warmth, structure, and consistency—helping them grow into confident and responsible individuals.

How Does the Authoritative Parenting Style Impact Children?

When you use an authoritative parenting style, your child is more likely to:

• Develop self-discipline and strong decision-making skills
• Have higher self-esteem and emotional intelligence
• Perform well in school and build healthy social relationships
• Feel secure and supported while learning independence
• Adapt well to challenges and setbacks

Experts often recommend this as a good parenting style because it fosters emotional security and personal growth. 

If you’re exploring books on parenting styles or checking out a parenting styles chart, you’ll likely find that authoritative parenting is widely considered one of the most effective approaches.

In that context, here are a few books on parenting styles in case you want to explore further and gain a better understanding of nurturing your kids the right way. 

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

This book offers practical strategies that help integrate different parts of a child’s brain, promoting healthy emotional and intellectual development.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

A classic in the field, this book provides communication techniques to improve parent-child interactions, fostering a nurturing and understanding environment.

Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive by Daniel J. Siegel and Mary Hartzell

This book explores how understanding your own childhood experiences can help you develop a more effective and empathetic parenting style.

Next up…

b. Permissive Parenting Style

Do you often let your child make their own decisions with little to no rules? 

If so, you might lean toward the permissive parenting style. This approach is warm and loving but lacks structure and firm boundaries. Permissive parents tend to avoid strict rules, believing that too many restrictions might harm a child’s creativity and self-expression. While this style fosters a strong parent-child bond, it often leads to inconsistency in discipline.

Unlike the authoritative parenting style, which balances freedom and structure, permissive parenting prioritizes leniency. You might find yourself giving in to your child’s demands easily, avoiding confrontations, or acting more like a friend than a parent. While your child may feel loved and supported, they might struggle with responsibility and self-discipline.

How Does the Permissive Parenting Style Affect Children?

When you take a permissive parenting approach, your child may:

• Struggle with self-control and following rules
• Have difficulty managing frustration or disappointment
• Expect to get their way and resist authority
• Face challenges with responsibility and time management
• Develop strong creativity but lack discipline

Some experts suggest that children raised with permissive parenting may have lower resilience and a more challenging time dealing with setbacks. 

If you recognize some of these traits in your parenting, you might want to explore other types of parenting styles that offer structure while still encouraging independence.

c. Authoritarian Parenting Style

Do you believe in strict rules, high expectations, and little room for negotiation? 

Then your approach may align with the authoritarian parenting style. 

This style is all about discipline and obedience, where you set firm rules and expect your child to follow them without question. Unlike the authoritative parenting style, which encourages open communication, authoritarian parenting is more rigid, leaving little space for discussion or emotional expression.

Parents who follow this style often believe that children should respect authority and that strict discipline builds character. While structure and consistency are important, an overly authoritarian approach can sometimes lead to fear rather than respect.

How Does the Authoritarian Parenting Style Affect Children?

When you use an authoritarian parenting style, your child may:

• Follow the rules but struggle with decision-making and independence
• Develop lower self-esteem and fear of making mistakes
• Have difficulty expressing emotions or opinions
• Be well-disciplined but may lack problem-solving skills
• Become either highly obedient or secretly rebellious

While this style creates structure, it can also lead to anxiety and difficulty handling failure. If you’re considering adjusting your approach, look into good parenting styles that can create a healthier balance at home.

d. Neglectful Parenting Style

Work stress, personal struggles, busy life–We can come up with all the excuses in the world. But in the end, do you find yourself emotionally distant or uninvolved in your child’s daily life? 

If so, you might be following a neglectful parenting style, also known as uninvolved parenting. In this case, the parent has minimal interaction, lack of guidance, and little emotional support towards the child. Unlike the other styles, neglectful parenting leaves children to figure things out on their own, often without the necessary support.

Parents who adopt this style may not do so intentionally. Sometimes, stress, struggles, or a lack of awareness on how to parent/guide a child can lead to certain emotional detachment. Children raised in a neglectful environment often face serious challenges in their emotional and social development. 

How Does a Neglectful Parenting Style Affect Children?

When a child is raised with a neglectful parenting style, they may:

• Struggle with self-esteem and feel unimportant
• Have difficulty forming healthy relationships
• Develop poor emotional regulation and coping skills
• Face academic challenges due to a lack of parental guidance
• Engage in risky behaviors as a way to seek attention or independence

Children raised with neglectful parenting often lack emotional security and direction. If you recognize signs of emotional distance in your parenting, it’s time to look at the other parenting styles to create a stronger parent-child connection.

What is the Best Parenting Style?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but research consistently shows that the authoritative parenting style is one of the best parenting styles for raising well-adjusted children. It offers a balance of structure, discipline, and warmth—helping children develop independence while feeling supported.

That said, every child is unique, and different parenting approaches may work better depending on their personality, age, and needs. 

To wrap it up!

Parenting is a beautiful journey filled with challenges, learning, and growth. Understanding our impact on the child can help us make more intentional choices in raising the child. At the end of the day, parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about being present, supportive, and adaptable.