What Parenting Style is the Best?

The Journey of Rediscovering Parenting

Here, we talk about Angela’s powerful story of transformative parenting in her approach and her relationship with her children and grandchildren. The best part of this story is that what one can do, so can another. Your parenting dream awaits.

Every parent dreams of having close, connected relationships with their kids, filled with harmony, cooperation, and peace in the home. However, as JFK once said, "A child miseducated is a child lost." We, as parents, are often like big kids, learning how to navigate the complexities of parenting, whether dealing with toddlers, teenagers, or anything in between. We can only parent as well as we have been taught. Yes?

In 1928, the concept of parenting as we know it today didn't exist. A behavioral psychologist of the time, in the article "The Psychological Care of Infant and Child," advocated for a more detached approach, suggesting that excessive affection could lead to emotionally vulnerable adults. 

Authoritative parenting is more balanced, combining kindness with firm boundaries and negative consequences for misbehavior. Permissive parenting is where parents do most of the tasks themselves, often falling into the trap of equating their value with how much they do for their children. Finally, uninvolved or neglectful parenting leaves children largely to their own devices, hoping they might learn through experience without direct guidance.

Which parenting style is the best? 

However you choose to parent, it is clear that how we discipline our children significantly impacts their development and behavior. The environment we create for them shapes how they grow and behave. 

Angela's journey began with a struggle in her childhood, where her father followed a detached, authoritarian style, rarely showing affection. As she grew up, she vowed never to parent her children the same way. Despite her efforts, she found herself struggling as a parent. She sought answers from various sources, from Dr. Laura's radio show to numerous parenting books, but nothing seemed to provide the solution she needed. 

Angela was drawn to our passion and knowledge regarding their work with children and Creating Champions For Life. When Angela witnessed a live demonstration of Creating Champions For Life principles, she saw firsthand how a child's behavior transformed from chaotic to calm without the typical disciplinary measures.

Inspired by this experience, Angela reflected on her parenting. She realized that many traditional strategies were reactive, dealing with behavior after it occurred rather than proactively teaching life skills. This realization was profound. The principles of Creating Champions For Life focus on guiding children with positive reinforcement, understanding their emotions, and teaching them how to manage their feelings constructively. Despite Angela’s struggles as a parent, her children grew up, left home and seemed to have everything in place, until grandchildren came along.

Angela's grandson, Jakobi, was struggling with defiant behavior. Traditional parenting methods weren't working. Desperate for a solution, Angela turned to Bonnie and Thomas's principles. She watched in amazement as Jakobi responded positively to the new approach. Instead of reacting to his behavior with punishment or rewards, they focused on empowering him, validating his feelings, and teaching him life skills.

This experience was a revelation for Angela. She saw how changing her perspective and approach could transform her grandson's behavior and her relationship with him. The principle of cause and effect became central to her understanding. She learned that her thoughts, behaviors, and actions as a grandparent were the causes that created the effects she saw in her grandchildren. She could see that changing her approach could change the outcomes.

Creating Champions For Life offers a proactive approach to parenting. It teaches parents to guide their children, helping them develop life skills and emotional resilience. This method contrasts sharply with reactive parenting, which focuses on managing behavior after it occurs. Parents can create a positive, supportive environment where children thrive by empowering children and validating their emotions.

For Angela, the journey from struggling parents to creating champions was transformative. She realized that the key to successful parenting lies in understanding and applying principles that empower children, teaching them to manage their emotions and behaviors constructively. By becoming the cause of positive changes, parents can create harmonious, connected relationships with their children.

The journey of rediscovering parenting through Creating Champions For Life is about shifting from reactive to proactive approaches. It's about empowering children, teaching them life skills, and fostering an environment where they can thrive. Angela's story is a testament to the power of these principles and the profound impact they can have on both parents and children.  

The future is bright!