This controversial parenting style leads to kids who excel in school, study reveals
An early bedtime or a rigorous chore chart aren't instant guarantees for success, but they're proven steps towards raising a certifiable wunderkind, according got a new study.
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Since 2013, British study SEED has been tracking around 6,000 children across the UK with the aim of exploring how environments — including early education and childcare — impact development.
The study tracks how children dealt with different parenting styles, ranging from permissive to authoritarian, and unsurprisingly, the best result appears to be a mix of the two — otherwise known as 'authoritative' parenting.
Though 'gentle parenting' — a child-rearing philosophy that emphasizes emotional regulation and healthy boundaries — is all the rage among many Millennial parents, new SEED study findings show that for many children, a 'no' and a few guiding rules may actually be more beneficial.
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According to researchers and study authors, the authoritative parenting style is defined by firm rules and a high level of 'responsiveness,' AKA, a more hands-on, assertive approach.
Children who were exposed to an authoritative parenting style were found to have a more 'positive impact on KS2 attainment,' researchers said. In non-British terms, kids aged 7 to 11 experienced more academic growth as a result of their parents' rules and guidelines.
Increased hours of guidance in a formal domestic setting (tutors, nannies, etc.) were positively associated with scoring high in science, while increased hours in informal settings (family members, friends, neighbours) were associated with excelling in math.
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The study also found that children who spent at least 10 hours a week in formal group childcare saw increased chances of excelling in reading, writing and math.
While authoritative parenting is all about finding a happy medium between gentle and super-strict child-rearing, emotional regulation in parents was a major factor in the method's success.
According to the study findings, 'parental psychological distress, a chaotic home life, a more invasive relationship between mother and child, reflecting issues such as the mother feeling in conflict with or annoyed by her child,' all tended to lead towards lower socio-emotional success in elementary school.
As the study demonstrated, though setting boundaries and rules for children is developmentally important, being overly demanding or controlling can also be detrimental to a child's success.
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Ego parenting is a common behavior pattern that emerges among parents who are excessively concerned with how their child's skills and progress reflect back on them. Associating a child's worth with their accomplishment can quickly become toxic, experts warn.
The study has been extended until 2029, when researchers will collect their final data points and surveys on the core group of kids.
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