What Are the Risks of Permissive Parenting?

Any extremes in parenting are harmful. Neither excessive permissiveness nor strictness creates a healthy family environment. In addition, it doesn't help children develop properly. Find out about permissive parenting in this article.

When it comes to raising children, parents often wonder if they’re being too strict or too flexible. That’s why in this article we’ll take a look at permissive parenting and whether or not it’s healthy.

What’s clear is that parents should always seek the best options for their children. Parents should try to maintain a good balance between being strict and flexible.

Although it doesn’t seem like it, you don’t need to be too relaxed to help your children learn and keep a close and positive family atmosphere.

Where is the limit?

To be good parents, it’s important to avoid falling into extremes at all costs. The more moderate and balanced you are, the easier it will be to make decisions every day.

Remember, there are healthy ways to give tough love, to teach values or promote healthy habits. However, it’s harmful to be so strict without giving explanations for anything.

In addition to moderation, you need to try to learn from your mistakes and be positive, whenever possible.

In addition, once your children are old enough, promote dialogue and create a collaborative environment where everyone works together. It’s also a good idea to use positive language to guide your children with love and affection.

Permissive parenting

Permissive parenting is based on the idea that parents should intervene as little as possible in their children’s lives. 

The premise of this idea is that children have the authority to decide what to do, how and when without being guided or corrected. In this sense, they rely on their own judgment.

Some parents tend to think that permissiveness is the best way to raise their children. This is because they think not imposing rules or limits will stop children from having tantrums or being rebellious. They also think it will make them even closer to their children.

However, research shows that kids who grow up without rules or limits don’t become balanced adults. In fact, they have the most deficiencies, both at school and emotionally.

Unfortunately, permissiveness can cause kids to feel abandoned, not payed attention to, and without guidance. This hurts them a lot.

Risks of permissive parenting

In general, kids who grow up with very relaxed parenting tend to be immature, inconsiderate, irresponsible, defiant, and more selfish than other kids. This type of personality has the following risks:

• Dislike for rules, putting in effort, and values
• Detachment from the rest of the family
• Inability to form healthy bonds, both inside and outside of the family
• Poor view of reality

The best choice

As we mentioned earlier, not everything is black and white, or strict and flexible. On the contrary, it’s important to find a middle ground. There will be times when you’ll need to be stricter, and there will be times where you can be more permissive.

Parenting with healthy limits is essential for kids to grow up healthy and to prepare for a good adult life.

Limits allow you to deal with frustration, manage emotions, and make an effort to achieve goals. Not having any limits actually makes it harder to become independent.

Being understanding and fair will help you raise your children, but it will also help you get closer to them. 

Nobody is born with a manual on how to raise children. However, it’s important to try and learn along the way. In addition, keep in mind that not all children are the same, and not all situations are easy.

Finally, permissive parenting doesn’t have to be bad if you set healthy boundaries. In fact, you can take advantage of flexibility to get children to learn something in a more enjoyable and practical way.