Parenting is a highly subjective concept primarily because no two parents approach their children or offer guidance in the same manner. This is particularly relevant because no two children are the same, which further makes it important to stick to a unique parenting style.
For instance, a child may have gotten into the habit of making unreasonable demands often. In this case, knowing their child well, one parent might try to sweet talk the child by explaining the consequences of these demands. On the other hand, another parent may choose to adopt an authoritative approach.
In fact, we at the Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the top schools in Gurgaon, would like parents to know that real parenting begins way before the child is even born. When the child is still in the mother’s womb, parents generally not just start deciding on the kind of life their child will lead and also how the child will influence the parent’s life. Otherwise known as image making, to some extent, this is where parenting styles develop and keep changing through the different stages of a child’s life cycle.
Upgrading your Parenting Style with your Child’s Age is Necessary
Even a layman can derive that the way in which parents interact with a 2-year-old is not the exact way in which they would deal with a 10-year-old. This clearly shows that parenting styles differ and are upgraded as and when children grow up. Well, if you ask whether this is necessary, yes, it is 100% essential. This is because as children’s age increases, so do their physical, mental, and emotional abilities. As children continue to evolve, it becomes important for parents to evolve alongside them as well.
Speaking about the months right after a child is born, to the time the child hits age 1 or 2 is when parents try to understand their child better and vice versa. During this period, the primary focus is on establishing a strong bond with their children while learning to balance their usual life and life with their children. This stage of parenting is less about passing on life lessons to children and more about learning the skills of parenting by staying active in the new role.
The next stage is the period between 2 to 5 years of age. During this time span, children start interacting with other children, start attending school, and experience glimpses of a new life. It is quite possible for them to lose focus at this stage, which is why most parents prefer to adopt an authoritative stance here. Rules are laid down as also consequences are explained so that obeying doesn’t get difficult.
The next stage is the period when the child hits age 5 and continues to take the path to the point where adolescence strikes. During this span, children are exposed to diverse behavioral patterns, peer pressure, competition, and in some cases, bullying. At this stage, parenting style should be about laying undivided attention on helping children to cope up with social situations.
This is followed by adolescence, which is where disagreements and disputes are a common occurrence between children and parents. That said, the focus of parenting here should be on highlighting the importance of respectful communication.
Now coming to the last stage, which is the time between late adolescence and adulthood. During this span, parenting style should offer children freedom and independence in making certain choices in life. Parents should learn to take a few steps backward from their child’s life. At this level, children should receive support from parents as they move out to find their identities.
Conclusion
We are sure all of you would agree that you can’t keep holding to the same parenting style you adopted for your toddler to deal with a teenager. The style needs to change; it should change! To that end, we at the Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the top schools in Gurgaon, view the above-listed stages as ideal parenting approaches, which we would like to suggest all the parents reading this article to adopt and embrace so as to help your kids walk through different age groups smoothly.