Permissive Parenting in India: Understanding the Pros, Cons, and Long-Term Effects

Introduction

The relationship between parent and child plays an important role in shaping the trajectory of the child's future. It's a beautiful equation that involves respect, guidance, learning, and lots of love. However, it's important to note that not every child-parent relationship may look the same. Different types of parenting techniques work in various situations. Among some of the major parenting styles, permissive parenting is a popular one.

In simple words, permissive parenting can be defined as a more child-centric approach. A parent who follows permissive parenting may allow their child to make life decisions and avoid invading their child's personal space. For a deeper understanding, keep reading the article to learn about permissive parenting and its pros and cons.

What is Permissive Parenting

Permissive parenting is characterized by parents having an extremely warm and supportive attitude towards their child. As per the U.S. Department of Education such parents generally do not believe in dictating their child's life choices and encourage the child to take charge of their life. As a permissive parent, you will be expected to foster an extremely positive and motivating environment at your home. However, such parents may also struggle with establishing boundaries with their kids and making rules at home.

A permissive parent may have a hard time criticizing their child whenever they're doing something wrong. Such parents may find criticism scathing and demotivating for their child. A permissive parent may believe in the ‘let your child have fun philosophy. Such a parent may also not have many expectations from their kids, which may significantly impact a child's performance at school and in extracurricular activities.

What Are The Pros of Permissive Parenting

Progressive parenting can have some extremely positive impacts on a child's mental health and positively shape their attitude. Here are some of the major pros of permissive parenting.

Freedom

A permissive parent may allow their child to exercise freedom from an early age. This may help the child become more independent and encourage them to make necessary life decisions. Additionally, the child may gain a sense of right and wrong and become more confident as they're allowed to make critical life choices without much interruption and criticism.

Self-Worth

A permissive parent may not indulge in passing any hurtful or damaging remarks to their child. This may automatically enhance a child's self-perception and sense of self-worth. By building a positive self-image, a permissive parent may make the child feel more confident and loved by giving them a continuous sense of belonging.

Deep Connection

Parents may develop an extremely deep and loving bond with their child by always being present and encouraging. The high comfort level may allow the child to speak their concerns without fear or apprehension. In this manner, the parent in the child may also end up developing a deep bond of friendship that can be highly cherishable.

What Are the Cons of Permissive Parenting

Now that you know about some of the basic characteristics and positive aspects of permissive parenting, it's time to read about some of the negative sides of permissive parenting.

Rebellion

Because of a lack of proper boundaries, a child under the guidance of a permissive parent may not gain a sense of distinguishing between right and wrong. Additionally, the lack of fear from the parents may make the child excessively rebellious. The child might begin to believe that they are always right and end up making some grave mistakes in life.

Lack of Boundaries

A permissive parent may struggle to be firm at home. Hence, such a parent may not be clearly able to establish boundaries and set expectations that the child is required to fulfil. In such a scenario, the child may not feel encouraged to complete academic obligations and help with household chores.

Unhealthy Habits

A child with no expectations to fulfil, including doing homework or helping with household chores, might lack the proper discipline and attitude to succeed. Excess time and lack of punctuality may lead to the development of unhealthy patterns, such as staying up late, not studying properly, and having distressed eating habits.

Conclusion

While permissive parenting can be a useful approach for sensitive and emotional kids, it comes with its share of downsides. As a permissive parent, you can be constantly tuned to your child's emotional needs, but may struggle to make your child more responsible and disciplined in life. Hence, it's important to understand your child's specific needs and adapt your parenting technique accordingly.