We all parent a little differently. Some of us our raise voices, others impose consequences. Some let anything go, others keep it all in check. Moms and dads are people with different life experiences, different personal philosophies. But that shouldn’t stop us from boiling it all down into a few easy categories.

Which parenting type describes you best? Which categories do you straddle?

Momania blogger Theresa Walsh Giarusso, writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, thinks that she, like Kate Gosselin, might be a punitive parent.

This is the mother who can turn what should be fun into a punishment. For Gosselin, this was a home chicken coop her brood of eight wasn’t excited enough about building. So instead of letting the fun in home-farming reveal itself, Gosselin said poop-scooping duties would go to those who misbehave.

Giarusso knows she’s a punitive parent when she forces her son go swimming, even though he doesn’t want to (because her other two do want to). Or making all three go to the science center despite howls of protest. Here’s how she describes punitive parenting:

…things that I think will be fun often turn into a forced march with my kids and then you get ugly about it

The benefits of punitive parenting are, I suppose, they get your kid over the hump to try new things, which, they may some day come to enjoy (probably not the chicken poop thing.

Then there’s idle parenting, which means backing the heck out of your kids way and expecting them to self-entertain. The benefit iwth idle parenting is that you, the mom or dad, don’t go nuts. And your kids? They’re masters of their own destiny rather than lost little 24-year-olds confusing the American Dream with entitlements.

Authoritative parents, as opposed to authoritarian parents, set clear boundaries and expectations — and enforce them with lots of snuggles and empathy. The benefit of this style is that you have healthy kids (regular family meals are apparently a hallmark of this parenting type) who thrive on the various routines set by Mom and Dad.

Authoritarian parents are similar to authoritative but they don’t follow any of the commands with warmth or emotional connection. The benefit? Parents get their way! But then there’s the drawback of sad, depressed children among other consequences.

Then, there’s Ghetto Parenting, the latest label to be offered alongside “Hello, My Name is” stickers. Ghetto parents argue in front of their children (oops), curse around the children (uh oh), and put their child off on friends and relatives in order to hang out in the street (well, if by street you mean the movies or a quiet restaurant, guilty as charged!).

I don’t mean to be greedy but I’m a little of all five types, depending on the day (hour? minute?). What about you?

Now, go find your FAMILY type.

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Photo: growyourbaby.blogspot

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