The Value of Authoritative ParentingThere are many approaches to parenting and everyone has their own preferences as to what they think is best. In a society where everything moves very quickly, it is difficult to know what the best choices are for your children. There is a struggle to balance what needs to be done and what can be done, which impacts children both negatively and positively. Parents play a vital role in shaping and guiding their children to become functioning and confident adults. An effective parent will learn as they teach in order to develop an understanding with their children. Authoritative parenting has a stronger positive outcome because of the balance maintained within the structure of this parenting style. According to developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind, “authoritative parents are firm and set limits for their children. As children get older, these parents try to reason with them and explain things to them. They also set clear goals and encourage their children's independence” (Baumrind 2005). For example, a young boy wants to play video games all day and his parents decide it's not wise. It's nice outside and the parent wants him to go out and play. An authoritative approach would be to sit down with the child and explain the benefits of playing outside rather than the downsides of video games. The parent would appeal to the child's interests in order to engage him or her in effective parenting. The child would then be able to see the positive side of the decision rather than just the negative consequences. The parent would want the child to make a decision based on what would be best for the child rather than simply what the child would want to do. . This encourages him to make an independent decision...... middle of paper ......dBaumrind, D. (2005). Models of parental authority and adolescent autonomy. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 108, 61-69Pantley, Elizabeth. The no-cry disciplinary solution. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print. Renner, Tanya, Feldman, Robert., Psychsmart. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. Walsh PhD, David. No: Why children, of all ages, need to hear it and how parents can tell it. New York: Free Press, 2007. Print. Weiss PhD, Michael J., Wagner PhD, Sheldon and Goldberg, Susan. Draw the line. New York: Warner Books, 2006. Print. Mayberry, Stephanie. “Why self-confidence is important.” eHow, 2014. Web. May 1, 2014. Steinberg, Laurence, Elmen, Julie D. and Mounts, Nina S. “Authoritative Parenting, Psychosocial Maturity, and Adolescent Academic Achievement.” Child Development, Vol. 60, no. 6 (December 1989), pp. 1424-1436. Internet. May 1 2014.