Parenting Styles Are Important, But So Are BOTH Parents

I hate taking the middle stance on a topic, but I agree with parts of busogre, Chavette and Seven Tense's arguments regarding the impact of parenting.

To begin, parenting styles are changing, and this does have a significant impact on a child. Academics of child psychology have consistently proven that different parenting styles result in different children. Authoritarian parenting teaches a child rebellion, they have problems with authority figures and social relationships; passive parenting results in children who have no self-control; uninvolved parenting results in children who disregard rules and laws; and authoritative parenting results in children who are sociallly responsible and competent, self-reliant and have good self-esteem. This authoritative parenting style is the one that child psychologists have labeled as ideal. This parenting style involves having clearly explained rules, and provides emotional and psychological support for their child. Therefore, the father is someone who "watches from a distance…give[s] security" which results in a successful childhood and for a boy, masculinity as an adult. Thus parents do "encode hooliganism" into the brains of their children by their parenting style. Also, did you notice that the three other types of parenting styles result in children who have characteristics that could potentially land them in a gang? (rebellion, no self-control, disregard for the law). Any Child Psychology text will tell you more about these parenting styles and their effects on children as they grow up and into their adulthood.

I agree that every child needs a father, and I take that assertion a step further: every child needs a parent of both sexes. How can a woman be a masculine role model for her son? How can a man be a feminine role model for his daughter? How can a mother relate to their son about the changes their pubescent body is going through (and visa versa)? To go back to the beginning of our supposed evolution as humans, families had both father and mother millions of years ago, and families still need a father and mother now.

Boys search for men to be their role models. When they do not have a father in their home, they turn to men in other places of authority to fill this void: athletes, actors, fictional characters, etc. Children do not always know what is best for them, and so will sometimes choose poor role models for themselves. And what is the purpose of a role model? They serve as a goal for their lives; when children have achieved the quality (or qualities) they admire in their role model, they believe they will have success in life.

The role of parents is to teach their children what is right and wrong. If parents teach a child that acting out, violence and gang culture is acceptable, a child will accept that as true. If parent teach the opposite, a child is less likely to see gangs as an option in their life.