When an infant is a newborn, parenting involves caring for his basic needs, but as a child progresses through infancy to her first birthday, parenting differs among families. The Natural Child Project says that the goals of parenting produce different behaviors in children. These early experiences with child rearing are formative and contribute to his temperament as he grows up. Several parenting styles have been identified, and they are seen in infants and become more identifiable as a baby gets older. Each style is adapted and changed as an infant grows.
Attachment
Attachment parenting is the earliest form of parenting because it begins from birth. According to Dr. William Sears, this type involves bonding from the start between the infant and mother. Several practices are present in this type of parenting, including breastfeeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, understanding a baby's cries and bonding. Sears says that this style helps a parent develop the methods she will use to raise her baby. It also helps an infant learn to trust his parents to meet his needs as he grows.
Permissive
As infants get more mobile and begin to do things that aren't acceptable, many parents employ a permissive style of parenting. The NYU Child Study Center says that parents who use this method are indulgent to their infants and let them do what they want without exerting much control over their behaviors. In effect, parents let their infants make their own schedules and rules and don't have a set standard regarding behavior. This method often results in children who display immaturity and an unwillingness to accept responsibility.
Authoritarian
Authoritarian parenting means that parents are demanding and strict and are not very responsive to their infants, says the NYU Child Study Center. This parenting style is often started for infants because it sets clear rules and their consequences from the start. This method of parenting often results in children who don't feel they can express themselves or question authority as they get older.
Authoritative
Authoritative parenting differs from authoritarian because, although still outlining clear rules and the punishments for them, parents are responsive to their infants and use supportive discipline when an infant misbehaves. Infants who are parented with this style grow into independent and well-adjusted children, says the NYU Child Study Center. Authoritative parenting typically teaches children boundaries while also letting them explore and learn things.
Uninvolved
According to the the NYU Child Study Center, uninvolved parents don't expect much from their infants and don't respond to them, often rejecting them altogether. In some cases, parents who use this method are charged with neglect.
