Parenting doesn’t come with a manual and most of us end up blending what we learned in childhood with our own instincts. There are four main parenting styles - authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved - each influencing children’s behaviour and development in different ways. While authoritarian or permissive approaches can create challenges in the long run, authoritative parenting stands out for its balance of warmth, boundaries and high expectations.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some sort of manual that said “these are the rules children need and this is how to make them follow them"?

Without meaning to, adults do things that confuse children and create the exact behaviour issues they're often keen to avoid.