ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Every parent has their own way of guiding their child. What works for one parent may not work for another. However, new research suggests that a particular parenting style may hinder the development of skills that children need to manage their emotions.
It’s completely natural to want the best for your child, but is there too much of a good thing? Researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro followed 422 kids over the span of eight years. They assessed them at ages two, five, and ten. The researchers observed parent-child interactions; they asked the kids questions about school problems; and they asked teachers about students’ academic productivity. They found that kids whose parents were controlling had a difficult time managing their own emotions and behavior.
This study suggests that parents should give their young kids some independence. It will help them develop the social and coping skills they need to deal with challenging situations. So, parents, take the training wheels off the bike, let your kids do their own homework, and don’t call the teacher if your child fails a test. Letting your kids fail now and then, will help them learn what they can do better next time.
Researchers also found that children who experienced over-controlling parenting at 18 and 30 months of age were less likely to have the ability to shift attention, regulate behavior, plan, and detect errors a year later.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Supervising Producer; Milvionne Chery, News Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Research cited from: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/dev-dev0000536.pdf