Essay Example on the Asian Parenting Style

The Asian parenting style is described as an authoritative form of parenting. The parents are also strict, set high expectations for their children, and expect the children to follow their rules. For instance, a child’s day has a structure such as a planned bedtime, activities to engage in, and even friends that the child is allowed to befriend (Ishak, Low, & Lau, 2011). However, the parent is more accommodating than in the authoritarian setup and will even reason with the child, about the rules that have been set. It creates a healthy environment for the child because, he or she feels that he or she has a voice in the household, and the parent will respond to some of the requests that he or she has made.

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Instead of using punishments, the child is motivated to follow the rules and achieve the expectations set through consequences. Positive consequences are applied to good behaviors such as being rewarded with a new bike for getting good math scores. There are also negative consequences such as increasing tutor hours if the child fails an exam, and this will result in reduced playing time after school hours (J, CS, G, & PMC, 2016). Children who are raised using this form of parenting are expected to grow and be happy and responsible adults. They will be good at making decisions, and express their opinions on different matters.

Authoritarian Parenting Style

Merits

The child will more likely grow into a respectful adult who respects authority and follow rules. These children can make good soldiers who will follow orders to the letter. Authoritarian parenting can be effective for children who misbehave and it will ensure that they follow a certain set of the structure. It is also viewed in some areas to be effective because; parenting is not the sole responsibility of the biological parents; instead it is a communal process. It ensures that the children in such communities are less likely to misbehave because they will be punished by other adults who witness their activities.

Demerits

The children are more likely to have self-esteem issues because they are usually exposed to a home environment whereby their opinion does not count. They associate obedience with love and are likely to be involved in domestic abuse cases. They tend to be aggressive and violent as they grow older, and this form of parenting tends to be ineffective for older children, especially when the parents cannot punish them anymore. They are also less likely to provide their opinions on various issues because they neither were nor encouraged as children to voice their opinions (there was no open communication at home).

Merits of Asian Parenting Style

As was noted before, most people feel that the Asian parenting style offers the ideal home environment for a child. The reasons for this are as follows- the parent sets rules that the child needs to follow. However, the child is provided with some form of flexibility especially when he or she has a valid reason. Children in some cases will be truant and misbehave and therefore, such exceptions are provided in this set-up. Also, children are provided with high expectations that they are expected to meet, and instead of using punishments, consequences are used to motivate the child to follow the rules and meet the expectations provided by the parent (Ishak, Low, & Lau, 2011). Also, the parent and the child strengthen their relationship be regularly discussing on various issues. It raises the confidence of a child, and he or she is expected to grow into a law-abiding citizen, responsible and successful. A person who grows up in this environment is expected to voice his or her opinion on various issues readily.

Demerit

It is hard to follow the set guidelines for this parenting style, especially when the child regularly misbehaves. The parent may be forced to use corporal punishment, to ensure that the child behaves accordingly.

Opinion on the Best Parenting Style

Although the two parenting styles have their merits and demerits, the authoritative parenting style is the best form of parenting (Asian parenting style). There is open communication between the parent and the child. It helps the child to develop self-confidence and feel that his or her opinion matters. The child is not forced to follow the rules by punishment, which will cause pain, forcing the child to be obedient because he does not want to feel pain as is the case in the authoritarian parental set-up. Consequences are used, for instance, if a child fails in an exam, he or she will have to repeat the class and watch his friends’ progress. The child learns at a young age that the decisions that he or she makes will have a direct impact on his life. Parents therefore need to adopt this parental style because of its characteristics, and the more likely result regarding the expected outcome of the child (a responsible, successful and law-abiding adult).

Conclusion

The parenting style that is adopted by most families stems from their culture. The cultural beliefs and values of the parents will dictate the parenting style that they will adopt when they are raising their children. The parental strategies that are employed by the parents of different children determine their well-being and outcome regarding school work and other activities that they are involved in their lives. The African and Asian have different parenting styles because of their cultural practices and values. Most African parents follow the strict form of parenting. The parents set rules, and the children are expected to follow without question. Punishment is used to ensure that the child follows the rules. Although the child may grow to become responsible and respect authority, he or she will likely have low self-esteem issues. On the other hand, Asians are more likely to have authoritative parenting styles. They set rules, but there is open communication with their children in regards to the rules. Consequences are used instead of punishments, and it ensures that the child grows into a confident adult who is responsible and respects authority.