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98 Parent Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best parent topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 most interesting parent topics to write about, 📌 simple & easy parent essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on parent.

Single-Parent Families The chief materials that are to be used in the proposed experiment are the measurement scale to evaluate changes in adolescents’ attitudes towards single-parent families and the source of information about single-parent households.
Good Parent-Children Relationship Characteristics of the children compared to those of the parents can also influence the relationships between the parents and the children.
What Is a Parent? In the cases wherein the egg and sperm do not come from the couple, and a surrogate is used to carry the child, who is the real parent of the child?
Parent-Child Relationships in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker The more distant and fractious relationship is between the narrator and Dee. The narrator is referred to as “Mama,” and a mama she is.
Parent Interview: Through the Generations I was wondering about her understanding of the roles of mothers and fathers in a family and society, as well as the changes modern parenting undergoes. The development of family relationships is a choice a […]
Single Parent and Child Language Development The first-born child in a family is more likely to have a higher chance of better language development than the remaining children that follow him.
Parent-Teacher-Youth Mediation Program Analysis Firstly, the parent-child communication quality will be evaluated within the framework of the characteristics of their relationships and the ability to manage the conflicting situation.
What Is a Concept Good Parent? Overall, a good parent is a parent who can offer one’s child love and affection which is important for his or her normal development as a dignified and contented person, and is also successful in […]
Parent Purchase Bottled Water With all the sweat and tears, I can feel that you must be really tired with all the work that you do. This total number of bottled water consumed excludes the water that you take […]
The CAEP’s 7 Elements of Effective Parent-Teacher Partnerships Furthermore, engaging families in their child’s learning can also improve communication between families and educators, leading to a better understanding of student needs and more effective teaching and learning.
Old-Young and Parent-Child Relationships in Early Chinese Society It is possible to apply the same principle to the relationships of the parent and the child, where the child should always respect the parent and follow their orders and advice.
Child-Parent Relationships in Contemporary International Cinema Understanding the quality of the relationships between parents and children plays an important role in modern society, and various methods are used to deliver the message and share opinions.
Parenthub as Resource for Parent-Child Relationships Building Unfortunately, not all parents understand effective methods of upbringing, do not realize the value of a favorable environment for the child’s independence, and neglect the appearance of the youth’s emotional anticipation.
Children and Parent’s Adjustment Process The adjustment process of new children and their parents can be challenging for them and the teacher. Inviting the parents to the classroom can help with the separation anxiety in both children and their parents.
The Relationship Between Single-Parent Households and Poverty The given literature review will primarily focus on the theoretical and empirical aspects of the relationship between single-parent households and poverty, as well as the implications of the latter on mental health issues, such as […]
Empathy in Parent-Child Relationships It is the responsibility of parents to explain to their children what is right and what is wrong so that they can form their own opinion and develop a sense of self-worth.
Parent-Child Relationships in Later Life My mother, in turn, seeks to demonstrate that she is not a child anymore, and the patronage of that kind insults her.
What Every New Parent Should Know Undoubtedly, the issue of preparing for the baby is essential, and it touches almost every young couple, so the majority of people are familiar with it. For instance, the conflict between the parents and their […]
New Parent Guide Assignment Their sense of smell is manifested at birth; they start distinguishing and preferring their mother’s scent. A baby’s attachment system can be actuated when their feelings of security and safety are threatened.
Parent’s Right to Travel Out of the Country This paper seeks to analyze the parent’s right to travel out of the country and outlines why traveling has been an issue for the courts In the US, the Supreme Court acknowledges that every citizen […]
Parent Involvement and Student Achievement The purpose of the study is to investigate whether parental involvement plays a role in elementary school student achievement.
Success: How to Parent? Therefore, it is crucial to choose a competent approach to raising a child to not injure them in this way. This will help in choosing a profession and the entire path of life.
Parent-School Communication The current paper includes an interview with the school’s principal regarding the opportunities for parent-school partnership.
Disability Equality of a Disabled Lone Parent Although the officials were initially reluctant owing to her physical condition and the nature of work she was to perform, they allowed her to try.
Teens Talking With Their Partners About Sex: The Role of Parent Communication The MSS covers areas relevant to the study that are the communication of students with parents, sexual behavior, and communication with sexual partners.
The Parent-Involvement Research The REB attempts to balance between the benefits accrued to students from the research and the degree of interference in classroom activities. Therefore, Deslandes and Bertrand should have submitted the overall value of the research […]
Incarceration of a Parent or a Guardian of Recidivist It is important to note that the survey will generalize the experiences of these people, and it will be possible to develop certain recommendations concerning reintegration programs.
Parent or Guardian Who Is Against Group Work Issue The discussion is held in groups, the students are free to express their ideas about the topic and to give persuasive arguments.
Parent-Child Relations in Poetry Robert Hayden is probably one of the best known for his verses that discover and articulate the African-American practice, from the epoch of slavery, and the times of Civil War, up to the time he […]
Parent Involvement in the Elementary School Setting The problem that should be discussed regarding parent involvement is the low level of their participation and the lack of understanding of how to assist children in their studying.
Parent-School Online Communication Platforms The above section has supported the use of different platforms to improve the way teachers share ideas and information with different parents in an attempt to improve learners’ outcomes.
Verizon Wireless: Joint Venture and Parent Company In the end, Verizon was able to adopt a more sustainable orientation, securing its position and capitalizing on the growing wireless communication market.
Parent Education and Discipline-Training Programs Child welfare Child welfare is a system designed to guarantee child safety and to improve the capability of parents or guidance to care for their children.
Abbreviated Plans: Parent or Guardian Incarceration The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the program aimed at the reintegration of former inmates into society.
Parent Volunteering in the Early Education Centers The essence of this practice is to make children aware of the colour palette and some of its peculiarities in the process of drawing and make sure all children learn to perform the task accurately […]
Parent-Child Perceptions: Sexual Discussions The issue of unsafe sex affects all the teenagers despite their race thus the failure by Latino parents to mention the issue of unsafe sex openly with their children has a long-term negative impact on […]
Poverty in American Single-Parent Families It is necessary to note that the article provides an in-depth analysis of the correlation between social capital and single mothers’ wellbeing.
Parent-Teacher Conferences and Their Forms The picture is a great example of a successful parent-teacher conference as all factors presented in it can greatly contribute to the mutual understanding and further cooperation of parents and a teacher.
Infant-Parent Attachment: Secure or Insecure? Overall, it will be argued that a child with secure attachment, also referred to as strong attachment in the paper, is more aware, and easily interacts, with other people and his or her environment as […]
Children’s Right to Be Parented by the Best Parent If we attempt to answer what the parent really is, we are likely to touch upon the assumptions about the grounds, on which the right to parent a child is based.
Teacher-Parent Collaboration in Special Education One of the current trends in special education is the emphasis on the collaboration between the parents or caregivers of children with special needs and the providers of special education interventions.
Parent-Child Relationship in Early Modern England Moreover, the influence that parents had was significant, and it would not be an easy task for the government to monitor and review all the cases of unfair treatment. The author suggests that parents loved […]
Emotions in Parent of a Child With Special Needs It is due to this that parents who have children that have special needs are often relegated to the role of a caregiver resulting in them having to bathe, feed and even change the clothes […]
Parent-Teen Relations in the United States and Denmark In this regard, the main aim of the given study is to compare and contrast the main behavioral patterns peculiar to these states and make certain conclusions. These are the level of authority, independence, and […]
Parent-Teacher Interaction Strategies Despite this fundamental importance, the reality on the ground is that these interactions are often feared by parents and educators alike due to a variety of issues that need to be understood in order to […]
Parent Interview and Infant Observation Describe your diet regimen during pregnancy The mother ensured a steady and consistent intake of a balanced diet during pregnancy. According to her, the intake of a balanced diet helped in reducing the effects and […]
Parent–Child and Sibling Relationships In the literature on quality of sibling relationships, the focus has been made on studying psychological implications of sibling relationships, variations in sibling relationships in societies, and the implications of their successful and unsuccessful development.
“Dating and the Single Parent” by Deal Deal postulates some of the factors to consider during dating like its purpose, how to groom oneself and children, and the challenges that can be faced in the process. Pastors would provide the illustrations used […]
Designing Educational Spaces: A Birth-To-Eighteen-Year-Old Training for a Rich Parent As for the scope of the research, it will be necessary to embrace the specifics of the development of the students of specified age.
The Mothers Who Are Not Single: Striving to Avoid Poverty in Single-Parent Families In the present-day world, single-parent families are under a considerable threat due to the lack of support and the feeling of uncertainty that arises once one of the spouses leaves, whether it is due to […]
How Does the Gender of Parent Matters? In response to the controversial debate about the role of gender in parenting, this article contains a review of 81 studies that explore the role of gender in parenting.
A Dysfunctional Behavior Involving a Drunkard Parent The most immediate response to the behavior will be a positive reinforcement of classical conditioning which refers to a method of learning where the conditioned response is supposed to initiate the occurrence of an unconditioned […]
Parent Involvement Interview The teacher notes, “the Children’s daily report is effective means of communication between the class teacher and the parent because both parties must comment on a daily basis about the learner”.
Parent Involvement and Educational Outcomes The family is a moving system meaning that it copes with changes that come along, but in the process relevantly maintain a stable positive effect on the children’s academic performance.
Use of Texting in Parent and Child Relationships
Traditional Beliefs About Motherhood Were a Parent Household
What Leads a Parent to Mistreat Their Children for Attention
What Are the Problems of Growing Up in A Single-Parent Family
The Theme of Parent and Child Relationship in Wordsworth’s the Affliction of Margaret
The Role of Parent Child Bonding in Music Preference
What Are the Special Joys and Benefits of Being a Parent
Understanding Contributors to Input Informativeness for Tense Marking: Overlap among English Typology, Parent-Toddler Interaction Style, and Register
What Qualities Are Most Necessary for a Good Parent
The Role of the Parent and Government in Providing Educational Concept to Children According to the Bible
Well-Being Parent-Children Relationships
The Three Key Concepts of Sociology Applied to the Analysis of Single-Parent Families
Use of Text Messaging in Parent and Child Relationships
Value of Education From Perspectives of Parent, Teacher, Students, and History
Voting With Their Feet: Family Friendliness and Parent Employment in Australian Industries, 1981-2001
What Does a Parent Go About Choosing a Style of Discipline
What Difference Does It Make If Parent Uses Power Assertive
Vaccines, Cognitive Bias, and the Parent Pediatrician
What Makes a Perfect Parent
Why Children Object Their Divorcee or Widowed Parent to Have Sex
Triadic Co-Parenting and Dyadic Marital and Parent-Child
The Spread of Single-Parent Families in the United States Since 1960
The Strength of a Single Parent Shown in The Scarlet Letter
What Parent Characteristics Are Related to the Physical Abuse of the Children
Unconditional Love Between a Parent and Child
The Undercover Parent: Coben’s Spyware Logic
The Social Impact of Living in a Single-Parent Household on Children
The Single Parent Home: Evolution and Factors Affecting Function
The Well Being of Children Impacted by a Parent With Cancer
The Setting and Theme of The Parent Trap, a Romantic Comedy-Drama Film by Nancy Meyers
Welfare Transfers in Two-Parent Families: Labor Supply and Welfare Participation Under AFDC-UP
Transition to Parent-Child Coresidence: Parental Needs and the Strategic Bequest Motive
The Struggles of Single-Parent Households
Why Do Selection Factors for Parent Company Nationals
The Struggles of Raising Children as a Single Parent
What Are the Characteristics of a Good Parent
Vaccinations Should Be a Choice of the Parent
The Science Workshop, South Hall Middle School Parent Nights
Two-Parent Families With Children: How Effective Tax Rates Affect Work Decisions
When a Parent Refuses Medical Care for Their Children
What Is the Effect of Single Parent Households on Unhealthy Relationship Formation
What Kind of Person Is an Overambitious Parent
Friendship Essay Ideas
Child Labour Research Topics
Attachment Theory Essay Topics
Childhood Obesity Research Ideas
Birth control Questions
Child Development Research Ideas
Child Abuse Essay Topics
Child Welfare Essay Ideas
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128 Parent Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

As a parent, it can be challenging to come up with essay topics for your child to write about. Whether it's for a school assignment or just for fun, finding the right topic can make all the difference in sparking your child's creativity and imagination. To help you out, here are 128 parent essay topic ideas and examples that you can use to inspire your child's writing:

My Favorite Family Memory
The Best Day of My Life
If I Could Have Any Superpower, It Would Be'''
A Time When I Felt Proud of Myself
My Dream Job
A Place I Would Love to Visit
My Favorite Book
What I Want to Be When I Grow Up
The Most Important Lesson I've Learned
My Favorite Animal
A Time When I Helped Someone
If I Could Change One Thing About the World'''
My Favorite Food
The Person I Look Up To the Most
My Favorite Season
What Makes Me Happy
A Time When I Was Scared
My Favorite Movie
The Best Vacation I've Ever Been On
What I Love About My Family
A Time When I Made a Mistake
My Favorite Hobby
The Hardest Thing I've Ever Had to Do
If I Could Travel Back in Time, I Would'''
My Favorite Sport
What Makes a Good Friend
A Time When I Felt Lonely
My Favorite Subject in School
The Most Memorable Birthday I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Pet, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Color
A Time When I Felt Excited
My Favorite Song
What I Love About Myself
A Time When I Had to Be Brave
My Favorite TV Show
The Best Gift I've Ever Received
If I Could Live Anywhere in the World'''
My Favorite Holiday
What I Want to Accomplish This Year
A Time When I Felt Grateful
My Favorite Place to Relax
The Most Important Person in My Life
If I Could Change One Thing About Myself'''
My Favorite Game
What I Value Most in Life
A Time When I Overcame a Challenge
My Favorite Dessert
The Best Day of School I've Ever Had
If I Could Make a Difference in the World'''
My Favorite Cartoon Character
A Time When I Learned Something New
My Favorite Movie Character
What I Want to Learn This Year
A Time When I Helped a Friend
My Favorite School Subject
The Best Day at the Park I've Ever Had
If I Could Be Any Animal, I Would Be'''
My Favorite Seasonal Activity
What I Love About Nature
A Time When I Had to Apologize
My Favorite School Lunch
The Best Day with My Family I've Ever Had
If I Could Change the World in One Way'''
My Favorite Outdoor Activity
What I Want to Achieve in the Future
A Time When I Made a New Friend
My Favorite Restaurant
The Best Day at the Beach I've Ever Had
If I Could Live in a Different Time Period'''
My Favorite School Field Trip
What I Love About My Siblings
A Time When I Had to Stand Up for Myself
My Favorite Childhood Memory
The Best Day at the Amusement Park I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Job, I Would Be'''
My Favorite Music Genre
What I Want to Conquer This Year
A Time When I Had to Say Goodbye
My Favorite Board Game
The Best Day at the Zoo I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Talent, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Weather
What I Want to Explore This Year
A Time When I Had to Make a Difficult Decision
My Favorite School Trip
The Best Day at a Museum I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Skill, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Music
What I Want to Discover This Year
A Time When I Had to Choose Between Right and Wrong
My Favorite School Event
The Best Day at a Concert I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Passion, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Food
What I Want to Create This Year
A Time When I Had to Face My Fears
My Favorite School Assembly
The Best Day at a Theme Park I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Dream, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Drink
A Time When I Had to Make a Sacrifice
My Favorite School Play
The Best Day at a Birthday Party I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Adventure, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Dessert
What I Want to Achieve This Year
A Time When I Had to Choose Between Love and Friendship
My Favorite School Dance
The Best Day at a Sleepover I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Experience, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Candy
A Time When I Had to Stand Up for What I Believe In
My Favorite School Project
The Best Day at a Festival I've Ever Had
If I Could Have Any Wish, It Would Be'''
My Favorite Type of Movie
A Time When I Had to Overcome a Fear
My Favorite School Performance
The Best Day at a Fair I've Ever Had
My Favorite Type of TV Show
A Time When I Had to Make a Difficult Choice
My Favorite School Memory

These essay topics are just a starting point for your child's writing journey. Encourage them to use their creativity and imagination to make each essay unique and personal. By providing them with a wide range of topics to choose from, you can help them develop their writing skills and express their thoughts and feelings in a meaningful way. So go ahead and pick a topic from the list above, or use them as inspiration to come up with your own ideas. Happy writing!

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102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on parenting styles, 🌶️ hot parenting styles essay topics, 🎓 most interesting parenting styles research titles, 💡 simple parenting styles essay ideas, ❓ research questions on parenting styles.

Parenting Styles’ Impact on Child’s Development
Overindulgent Parenting Style and Its Harm to Children
Parenting Styles: Indifferent, Indulgent, Authoritarian, and Authoritative
Personal Experience of Child: Parenting Styles
Parenting Styles – Case Study Analysis
The Uninvolved Parenting Style and Its Effect on the Psychological Development of a Child
American and British Parenting Styles
Parenting Styles: Values and Standards Transmission Numerous observations of children show that major developmental changes mostly occur during early childhood. It may be perceived by the parents in the form of imitation and observation.
Types of Parenting Styles in a “Parenthood” by Howard The plot of the film is a small live segment of one huge family, which includes five generations. The filmmakers tried to give us a simple recipe for a happy life.
Diana Baumrind Theory of Parenting Styles Children exhibit behavioural characteristics depending on their upbringing. Diana Baumrind developed four parenting styles explaining children’s behaviour in specific situations.
Parenting Styles by Diana Baumrind This paper describes advantages and disadvantages of parenting styles generated by Diana Baumrind and its characteristics as well as the consequences for children.
Childhood Attachment and Parenting Styles In social sciences and psychology, the term emotional attachment may refer to the process of understanding the expressive closeness.
Parenting Styles Overview and Analysis This essay aims to describe parenting styles, reflect on the impact of my family’s upbringing approaches, and discuss how I plan to raise my children.
Parenting Styles: Infancy and Early Childhood Generally, a child’s behavior is directly linked to the parenting approach being used by the respective parent. Each technique used has a corresponding impact on the well-being.
Bullying and Parenting Styles There are many positive and negative outcomes of parenting on children. This paper aims at investigating the connection between several types of parenting and bullying behaviors.
Dominant Parenting Styles: Gender-Differentiated Parenting Revisited In lower-middle-class American families, the authoritative parenting style is the most dominant. Authoritative parents impose high standards upon children.
Parenting and Choice of Child-Rearing Style The child-rearing style applied to a child has an impact on the child’s growth and development. The style employed by the parents can predict the future character of the child.
Parenting Style and Bullying Among Children The investigation of parenting styles is highly essential to understand how they affect the bullying behavior of children to prevent it.
Parenting Style Comparison: Positive and Negative Impacts Different parents use different styles to raise their children. These parenting styles have positive and negative impacts on the young infants and the adolescents.
Parenting Styles and Children’s Social Competence The social competence of children is usually associated with authoritative parenting of all parenting styles, in which parents balance the demands of the child and responsiveness.
Parenting Styles’ Impact on Children Parenting style plays a significant role in a child’s life. Each selected technique may have predetermined outcomes.
Nature vs. Nurture Parenting Styles in Psychology This research analyzes the nature vs. nurture parenting styles and recommends the best style that must be applied to ensure children grow to be responsible adults.
Differences in Parenting Styles in the East (China) and the West (America) The article discusses introduction in the essay “Differences in parenting styles in the East (China) and the West (America)” and argues that is short and straightforward.
Parenting Styles and Aggressive Adolescents Researchers have identified parenting styles that influence children’s growth and development. Parenting styles include authoritative, permissive, negligent, and authoritarian.
The Relationship Between Parenting Styles This paper provides an analysis of data pertaining to the relationship between parenting styles employed by a child’s parent.
Types of Parenting Styles Analysis The parents’ attitudes to their kids create a certain emotional atmosphere, which is known as a “parenting style.”
Parenting Styles Exemplified by the Molly Family In the current essay, the abovementioned four parenting styles will be considered, and four various answers on Molly’s desired behavior will be provided.
Authoritative Parenting in Comparison to Other Styles There are four parenting styles: authoritative, permissive, neglectful, authoritarian. If I were to have children, I would associate myself with the authoritative parenting style.
Parenting Styles in Situational Examples This paper examines different situational examples related to child-parent and assesses the parenting style of each of these situations.
Parenting Styles Researching: Analytical Techniques This paper considers the use of the observational method for analyzing video recordings depicting parent-child interaction.
African American Parenting Styles According to Social Class
Family Income, Parenting Styles and Child Behavioral: Emotional Outcomes
Differences Between Chinese and Western Parenting Styles
Parenting Styles, Prosocial, and Aggressive Behavior: The Role of Emotions in Offender and Non-offender Adolescents
Pursuing the Same Goal Through Different Parenting Styles
Authoritarian and Authoritative Parenting Styles
How Parenting Styles Affect the Psychological Growth of a Child?
Parenting Styles and the Chinese Tiger Mother: Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior
Four Basic Parenting Styles Used by the 21st-Century Parents
Parenting Styles and Their Impact on Children’s Behavior
Relationship Between Aggression and Parenting Styles
Parenting Styles and BMI: Are There Links Between the Two?
Social and Emotional Factors of Parenting Styles
Parenting Styles and Their Effect on Toddlers’ Emotional Development
Evaluating the Most Effective Parenting Styles With Children: Positive Outcomes in the Home and Classroom
Parenting Styles and Social Anxiety Among Adolescents
Parenting Styles: What They Are and Why They Matter
General Parenting Styles and Children’s Obesity Risk: Changing Focus
Different Strokes for Different Folks? Parenting Styles
How Parenting Styles Changed for Indian Immigrants?
Parenting Styles and Parent-Adolescent Relationships: The Mediating Roles of Behavioral Autonomy and Parental Authority
Authoritarian Parenting and Types of Parenting Styles
Diana Baumrind’s Parenting Styles in Psychology
Parenting Styles and Socioemotional Development in Middle
Juvenile Delinquency and Parenting Styles
Family Environment, Socio-Economic Status, and Parenting Styles
Paternal and Maternal Parenting Styles
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Harsh-Heart and Easy-Going Parenting Styles
Children and Traditional Parenting Styles
Parenting Styles Across Different Cultures
Relationships Between Parenting Styles and Risk Behaviors in Adolescent Health
Parenting Styles and Practices, and Their Impacts on Social Competence and Academic Achievement
Psychological Insights Into Parenting Styles
Different Parenting Styles and Child Rearing
Pros and Cons for Each of the Four Parenting Styles
How Parenting Styles Affect a Child’s Development?
Parenting Styles and Children’s Classroom Performance Education
Effective Parenting: Early Development, Various Parenting Styles and Discipline
Parenting Styles, Perfectionist Tendencies, and Self Criticism
Disciplining Children: Parenting Styles
School Parenting Styles: East or West
Parenting Styles and Children’s Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
How Do Different Parenting Styles Affect Child Development?
What Is the Most Important Thing to Remember When Choosing a Parenting Style?
Why Is Research on Parenting Styles Important?
What Are the Main Parenting Styles According to Diana Baumrind?
How Does Culture Affect Parenting Styles?
Are Biological Influences More Conducive to Development Than Parenting Styles?
How Does Parenting Style Shape a Child’s Future?
Which Parenting Style Is Associated With the Best Outcomes for the Child?
What Are the Features of Authoritarian Parenting Style?
Is There a Universal Best Parenting Style?
In Which Parental Style Is There an Effective Balance Between the Rights of Parents and Their Children?
What Is the Behavior of a Person With a Permissive Parenting Style?
What Is a Uninvolved Parenting Style?
What Parenting Styles Are Popular in Western Cultures?
Which Parenting Style Is Most Likely to Produce Spoiled, Self-Indulgent Children?
In Which Parental Style Do Parents Enforce Rigid Rules and Demand Strict Obedience?
What Parental Style Is Long-Term Psychological and Developmental?
Does the Parental Style Depend on Nationality?
In Which Parental Style Do Parents Control Their Children’s Behavior in a Caring, Responsive Manner?
Can Parenting Style Cause Autism?
What Parenting Style Is Associated With High Self-Esteem?
Which Parenting Style Has the Most Limitations?
Should the Government Introduce Programs for Parents to Teach Them Parenting Styles?
Which Attachment Style Would Be an Inconsistent Parenting Style?
How Do Different Parenting Styles Differ From Each Other?
What Are the Challenges in Different Parenting Styles?
What Are the Advantages of an Authoritative Parenting Style?
How Can a Parent Adapt Their Parenting Style to Meet Their Child’s Unique Needs?
How Does Social Class Influence Parenting Styles?
How Do Different Parenting Styles Balance the Needs of Parents With the Needs of Children?

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StudyCorgi. (2022, October 26). 102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/parenting-styles-essay-topics/

"102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics." StudyCorgi , 26 Oct. 2022, studycorgi.com/ideas/parenting-styles-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) '102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics'. 26 October.

1. StudyCorgi . "102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics." October 26, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/parenting-styles-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics." October 26, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/parenting-styles-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "102 Parenting Styles Essay Topics." October 26, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/parenting-styles-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Parenting Styles were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 8, 2024 .

My Parents Essay

500 Words Essay On My Parents

We entered this world because of our parents. It is our parents who have given us life and we must learn to be pleased with it. I am grateful to my parents for everything they do for me. Through my parents essay, I wish to convey how valuable they are to me and how much I respect and admire them.

My Strength My Parents Essay

My parents are my strength who support me at every stage of life. I cannot imagine my life without them. My parents are like a guiding light who take me to the right path whenever I get lost.

My mother is a homemaker and she is the strongest woman I know. She helps me with my work and feeds me delicious foods . She was a teacher but left the job to take care of her children.

My mother makes many sacrifices for us that we are not even aware of. She always takes care of us and puts us before herself. She never wakes up late. Moreover, she is like a glue that binds us together as a family.

Parents are the strength and support system of their children. They carry with them so many responsibilities yet they never show it. We must be thankful to have parents in our lives as not everyone is lucky to have them.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

While my mother is always working at home, my father is the one who works outside. He is a kind human who always helps out my mother whenever he can. He is a loving man who helps out the needy too.

My father is a social person who interacts with our neighbours too. Moreover, he is an expert at maintaining his relationship with our relatives. My father works as a businessman and does a lot of hard work.

Even though he is a busy man, he always finds time for us. We spend our off days going to picnics or dinners. I admire my father for doing so much for us without any complaints.

He is a popular man in society as he is always there to help others. Whoever asks for his help, my father always helps them out. Therefore, he is a well-known man and a loving father whom I look up to.

Conclusion of My Parents Essay

I love both my parents with all my heart. They are kind people who have taught their children to be the same. Moreover, even when they have arguments, they always make up without letting it affect us. I aspire to become like my parents and achieve success in life with their blessings.

FAQ of My Parents Essay

Question 1: Why parents are important in our life?

Answer 1: Parents are the most precious gifts anyone can get. However, as not everyone has them, we must consider ourselves lucky if we do. They are the strength and support system of children and help them out always. Moreover, the parents train the children to overcome challenges and make the best decision for us.

Question 2: What do parents mean to us?

Answer 2: Parents mean different things to different people. To most of us, they are our source of happiness and protection. They are the ones who are the closest to us and understand our needs without having to say them out loud. Similarly, they love us unconditionally for who we are without any ifs and buts.

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Parenting Essay Topics & Ideas

Argumentative Essay Topics About Parenting
Good Essay Topics About Parenting

Persuasive Essay Topics About Parenting

Interesting essay topics about parenting, informative essay topics about parenting.

Parenting Essay Topics for College Students

✒️ Argumentative Essay Topics About Parenting

“My Free-Range Parenting Manifesto” Analytical Summary
A Discussion on The Increasing Number of Single Parenting in The United States
A Prime Example of Authoritative Parenting
Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting
Adolescents’ Decision-Making and Parenting Concerns
Aspects of Parenting Infants and Toddlers Report
Association Between Parenting Style and Body Mass Index
Authoritarian vs. Permissive Parenting Styles Research
Authoritative and Permissive Parenting in the Media
Authoritative Parenting Model and Discipline
Authoritative vs Authoritarian Parenting
Bad Parenting or Child Abuse?
Behavioral Parenting Training to Treat Children With ADHD Research
Being a Father: Parenting Roles and Experiences
Cafs Summary on Parenting and Caring
Challenges of Parenting and Family Interview
Child Counseling and Parenting Problems Term
Child Parenting Guide and Challenges
Chinese Mothers and Their Incredible Parenting
Chinese Parenting Style
Chinese Parenting vs. Western Parenting
Chinese VS American Parenting
Choosing a Proper Parenting Style
Compare the poems for childhood and parenting

✨ Best parenting Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

Equal Responsibility in parenting – In raising a child, both parents should share equal responsibility. From the start of humanity, it has always been thought that women should take care of the children while the men were the breadwinners. However, things have changed now and both ….
Parenting Styles in Different Ethic Groups The United States has always been considered a melting pot and because of all the cultural diversity there exist many different beliefs and values about raising our children. The three major ethnic groups in the United States today are African ….
Single Parenting in the United States Single parenting in the United States has been a serious issue for many decades. Having your own family is a beautiful thing, but raising your children on your own is very different. Single parenting is usually referred to a parent who has most of ….
Perceived Parenting Style and Narcissism among Emerging Adults Emerging adult includes individuals falling within the age range of 18-29 years old, typically characterized by the developmental period of young adults with instable self-concept,discovering their identity and their potentials to explore newer ….
Child Care Vs Parenting Daycare has become a contention because of the great measure of advantages and disadvantages that it involves. While a really big figure of parents have to trust on kid attention centres because of calling aspirations or fiscal demands that merely ….
Which Parenting Style Is Preferred By Child Psychologists? Parenting styles vary in two dimensions; level of control and the level of warmth and support. The first parenting style is authoritarian. This style is characterized by high level of control, shown through anger, and low level of support. These ….
Permissive Parenting Style Definition All parents have their own ideas on how children should be raised. Some of these parenting styles can have negative repercussions; while others will mold their children to be successful in the future. I have chosen to break them down to three basic ….
Children Raised With An Authoritarian Style Of Parenting Are Often Pa renting style is a psychological construct representing standard strategies that parents use in their child rearing. There are many differing theories and opinions on the best ways to rear children, as well as differing levels of time and effort ….
The Four Dimensions Of Parenting Style Are Warmth, Discipline, Communication, And: Parenting Styles There are four different parenting styles, each of which with their very own interesting description. The four include, Authoritarian, Permissive, Authoritative, and Neglectful or the “Uninvolved”. A young woman by the name of Danna ….
Reflection Paper on Parenting Principles “What makes an effective parent? ” “How can one be effective in his or her parenting? ” Answers to these questions are very much needed by a father or a mother who truly loves his or her children and has deep concern for them. These are simple ….
Parenting Styles Have a Large Role in Child Growth Many adults are taught that a child growing needs guidance and to be taken care of. This is the idea that there is a direct relevance between one’s youth and future life. Studies have shown that children’s mental health is an effect on the parent’s ….
Helicopter Parenting In the article titled “A Generation Tethered to their Helicopter Parents” the author lays out a strong argument as to why parents should allow their children to grow up and make their own decisions. Although many parents want the best for their ….
Parenting Styles influence Academic Achievement Parents are the primary persons who are responsible to teach good values and behavior in children. Parents have different methods on how to transmit their values, skills, behavior, and attitudes to their children. Most parents want their children to ….
School Parenting Styles: East or West? While eastern parents are stricter and demanding, western parents are more flexible, nurturing, and more tolerant. Amy Chug’s article “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior’ and Hanna Rosin’s counter-article “Mother Inferior’ explore three basic concepts ….
Procrastination and Authoritative Parenting Style It’s midnight. and the final essay is due the next morning. Surrounded by printouts, notes, and books, he types frantically. Two weeks ago, it seemed that there was plenty of time to get the paper done. Last week, a sick child made it hard to study. ….
Effects of Different Parenting Styles Spankings are frequent and parents usually tend to show rage towards the child (Contracts, 2013, p. 300). Children with authoritarian parents are often unhappy, lack confidence, have weak communication skills, and have less social ability. The ….
Parenting Styles Have an Effect on Children The parenting style a parent decides to use to discipline the children can have either a positive or negative effect on the children. In the story The Ditchdigger’s Daughter by Yvonne S. Thornton, Thornton tells the story of how her parents parented ….
Harriet the Spy Parenting Styles These parents are obedience- and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation. Little Harriet is leaving the cognitive developmental stage that is called “concrete operational stage”. The concrete operational stage ….
Various Parenting Styles Parenting Styles Abstract This paper analyzes various parenting styles based on research by developmental professionals. The four basic patterns of behavior discussed here are authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful and indulgent parenting with the ….

✍ Good Essay Topics About Parenting

Comparison Parenting between Asian Parents and Western Parents Research
Contemporary Research on Parenting
Critical Issues in Education: Parenting and its Implication on Student’s Achievement Research
Cross-Cultural Research on Parenting – Psychology
Cybernetics and Parenting Styles in Family Therapy
Did The Children Of Yesterdays Generation Get Better Parenting Then Todays Children Are Getting
Different Parenting Styles
Different Parenting Styles in Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
Different Parenting Styles on Children
Different Parenting Styles Research
Difficulties of Parenting
Education Issues in Parenting
Effective Parenting Styles
Effective Parenting Techniques
Effects and Effectiveness of Authoritarian Parenting
Family Systems Theory: Parenting and Family Diversity Issues
Family, Marriage, and Parenting Concepts Nowadays
Faulkner’s and Morrison’s Notions of Parenting
First Time Parenting
Four Styles of Parenting Annotated Bibliography
Frankenstein: The Role of Parenting in The Novel
Gay Marriage and Parenting Research
Gender Stereotypes in Parenting and Family
Gender-Schema and Social Cognitive Theory in Parenting Styles Report
Group Therapy for Pregnant and Parenting Teenagers Proposal
Harmful Effects of Authoritarian and Permissive Parenting Styles
Harsh parenting in relation to child emotion regulation and aggression. Proposal
How Different Parenting Styles Affect Children?
How does Atticus Finch show good parenting in To Kill a Mockingbird?
How Parenting Styles Effects On A child
How We Need Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver and The Breakfast Club by John Hughes Explore The Nature of Parenting
I Change My Parenting Plan to Include Summer Vacation for my School-Aged Children
Identifying How Parenting Styles Affect Emerging Adults
Impact of Parenting Style on Adolescent Development
Importance of Parenting Concepts Classification
Information On Positive Parenting Strategies Education
Is Gay Parenting Bad for the Kids?
John B Watson’s Behavioral Parenting
Juvenile Crime and Parenting Education
Literature Review on School-aged Children, Parenting Behavior, and Obesity
Literature Review- Parenting Styles and Child Development
Mandatory Child Development and Parenting Classes
Marital Quality and Parenting
Mate Selection and Parenting in Early Adulthood
Mating and Parenting of Wolves, Comparison of Human Behaviours and Wolf Behaviours
Mrs. and Mr. Bennet : Parenting in Pride and Prejudice
Negative Effects of Over Parenting on Children and Young Adults
Nuclear Family vs Single Parenting Effects on Child Research
Parenting According to Erickson’s Psychosocial Theory
Parenting and Its Major Styles
Parenting and Juvenile Delinquency
Parenting and Modernization on The Background of The Modern Society
Parenting and Poetic Technique in “My Father’s Song” by Simon J. Ortiz and “Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
Parenting As An Important Role
Parenting Behaviors Throughout Child’s Life
Parenting Children With Learning Disabilities Research
Parenting Education Programs: Pros and Cons
Parenting Essay Examples and Topics
Parenting for Healthy Emotional Development
Parenting in “Hey, Kiddo” by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Research
Parenting in a Gendered Way: Main Idea of Gender and Parenting
Parenting in A Straight Bat
Parenting in Battered Women: The Effects of Domestic Violence
Parenting In Pride and Prejudice
Parenting is an absolute miracle but
Parenting Methods: Pros and Challenges Essay (Critical Writing)
Parenting Skills 5.09
Parenting Skills: Questions
Parenting Strategies for Early Childhood Development
Parenting Style and the Development
Parenting Style in Japan and USA Research
Parenting Styles and Academic Motivation Case Study
Parenting Styles and Authority Problems
Parenting Styles and Culture
Parenting Styles and Discipline
Parenting Styles and How They May Affect a Child’s Development
Parenting Styles and Outcomes
Parenting Styles And Their Effect On Children Behavior Education
Parenting Styles and Their Impact on Child Development
Parenting Styles Concept Comprehensive Study Research
Parenting Styles Critical
Parenting Styles in Different Cultures
Parenting Styles in the Family Crucible
Parenting Styles of Young Adults Research
Parenting Styles Theory by Diana Baumrind
Parenting Styles: 3 Different Styles
Parenting Styles: Advantages and Disadvantages
Parenting Styles: China vs. North America Term
Parenting Teenage Boys and Education
Parenting the Father
Parenting Topic in Developmental Psychology Research
Parenting Training Classes: A Psychology Experiment Research
Parenting Variables in Antenatal Education Quantitative Research
Personal Experience of Parenting Disabled Kids
Personal Reflection on Parenting
Pilgrims and Puritanism Parenting

⭐ Parenting Essay Topics for College Students

Principles of Parenting in Psychology
Reflective Entry of “Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing Children, Parenting and the Family Series” and “Udaan”
Reflective The Effects of an Authoritative Parenting Style
Review on Parenting
Schizophrenia and Depressed Mothers: Relational Deficits in Parenting
Single Parenting Stigma
Single Parenting vs Nuclear Parenting
Sole parenting vs two parents
South Park, an American Animation Series’ Depiction of The Irrationality Surrounding Aggressive Parenting Skills
Spoiled Children and Parenting Mistakes
STUDENTS’ PERSONALITY TRAITS AND PARENTING REARING STYLES AS PREDICTORS OF CAREER CHOICE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN.
Styles of Parenting As a Psychological Strategies
Summary of The Structural Relationships of Parenting Style
The Authoritarian Parenting Style: What Does It Look Like?
The Chinese Parenting
The Consequences of Single Parenting
The Controversy Between Parenting Styles: Chinese and Western Parents
The Correlation Between Cyberbullying and Parenting Style, The Gender Differences in Cyberbullying
The Different Parenting Styles of Chinese Parents and Its Influence on The Chioldren in Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
The Discussion Around Same-Sex Parenting
The Effect of a Parenting Style on The Development of a Child as Illustrated in “The Glass Castle”
The Effect of Parenting Styles on Social and Emotional Development in Adolescents
The Effects of Authoritative Parenting on My Personal Growth
The Effects Of Parenting On Education In Lilongwe Education

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What is Positive Parenting? 33 Examples and Benefits

And while most of us strive to be great parents, we may also find ourselves confused and frustrated by the seemingly endless challenges of parenthood.

As both parents of toddlers and teenagers can attest, such challenges are evident across all developmental stages.

But there is good news— numerous research-supported tools and strategies are now available for parents. These resources provide a wealth of information for common parenting challenges (i.e., bedtime issues, picky eating, tantrums, behavior problems, risk-taking, etc.); as well as the various learning lessons that are simply part of growing up (i.e., starting school, being respectful, making friends, being responsible, making good choices, etc.).

With its focus on happiness, resilience and positive youth development ; the field of positive psychology is particularly pertinent to discussions of effective parenting. Thus, whether you are a parent who’s trying to dodge potential problems; or you are already pulling your hair out— you’ve come to the right place.

This article provides a highly comprehensive compilation of evidence-based positive parenting techniques. These ideas and strategies will cover a range of developmental periods, challenges, and situations. More specifically, drawing from a rich and robust collection of research, we will address exactly what positive parenting means; its many benefits; when and how to use it; and its usefulness for specific issues and age-groups.

This article also contains many useful examples, positive parenting tips, activities, programs, videos, books , podcasts – and so much more. By learning from and applying these positive parenting resources; parents will become the kind of parents they’ve always wanted to be: Confident, Optimistic, and even Joyful.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Parenting Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients identify opportunities to implement positive parenting practices and support healthy child development.

This Article Contains:

What is positive parenting, a look at the research, how can it encourage personal development and self growth in a child, how old must the child be, what are the benefits, 12 examples of positive parenting in action, positive parenting styles, a look at positive discipline, positive parenting with toddlers and preschoolers, how to best address sibling rivalry, positive parenting with teenagers, positive parenting through divorce, a take-home message.

Before providing a definition of positive parenting, let’s take a step back and consider what we mean by “parents.” While a great deal of parenting research has focused on the role of mothers; children’s psychosocial well-being is influenced by all individuals involved in their upbringing.

Such caregivers might include biological and adoptive parents, foster parents, single parents, step-parents, older siblings, and other relatives and non-relatives who play a meaningful role in a child’s life. In other words, the term “parent” applies to an array of individuals whose presence impacts the health and well-being of children (Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg & van Ijzendoorn, 2008).

Thus, any time the terms “parent” or “caregiver” are used herein; they apply to any individuals who share a consistent relationship with a child, as well as an interest in his/her well-being (Seay, Freysteinson & McFarlane, 2014).

Fortunately, parenting research has moved away from a deficit or risk factor model towards a more positive focus on predictors of positive outcomes (e.g., protective factors ). Positive parenting exemplifies this approach by seeking to promote the parenting behaviors that are most essential for fostering positive youth development (Rodrigo, Almeida, Spiel, & Koops, 2012).

Several researchers have proposed definitions of positive parenting, such as Seay and colleagues (2014), who reviewed 120 pertinent articles. They came up with the following universal definition:

Positive parenting is the continual relationship of a parent(s) and a child or children that includes caring, teaching, leading, communicating, and providing for the needs of a child consistently and unconditionally.

(Seay et al., 2014, p. 207).

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (2006) similarly defined positive parenting as “ … nurturing, empowering, nonviolent… ” and which “ provides recognition and guidance which involves setting of boundaries to enable the full development of the child ’’ (in Rodrigo et al., 2012, p. 4). These definitions, combined with the positive parenting literature, suggest the following about positive parenting:

It involves Guiding
It involves Leading
It involves Teaching
It is Caring
It is Empowering
It is Nurturing
It is Sensitive to the Child’s Needs
It is Consistent
It is Always Non-violent
It provides Regular Open Communication
It provides Affection
It provides Emotional Security
It provides Emotional Warmth
It provides Unconditional Love
It recognizes the Positive
It respects the Child’s Developmental Stage
It rewards Accomplishments
It sets Boundaries
It shows Empathy for the Child’s Feelings
It supports the Child’s Best Interests

Along with these qualities, Godfrey (2019) proposes that the underlying assumption of positive parenting is that “… all children are born good, are altruistic and desire to do the right thing …” (positiveparenting.com).

Godfrey further adds that the objective of positive parenting is to teach discipline in a way that builds a child’s self-esteem and supports a mutually respectful parent-child relationship without breaking the child’s spirit (2019). These authors reveal an overall picture of positive parenting as warm, thoughtful and loving— but not permissive.

There is plenty of research supporting the short- and long-term effects of positive parenting on adaptive child outcomes. To begin with, work by the Positive Parenting Research Team ( PPRT ) from the University of Southern Mississippi (Nicholson, 2019) is involved in various studies aimed at examining the impact of positive parenting.

The following are included among the team’s research topics:
Relationships between positive parenting and academic success;
Positive parenting as a predictor of protective behavioral strategies;
Parenting style and emotional health; maternal hardiness, coping and social support in parents of chronically ill children, etc.

The PPRT ultimately seeks to promote positive parenting behaviors within families.

In their seven-year longitudinal study; Pettit, Bates and Dodge (1997) examined the influence of supportive parenting among parents of pre-kindergartners. Supportive parenting was defined as involving mother‐to‐child warmth, proactive teaching, inductive discipline, and positive involvement. Researchers contrasted this parenting approach with a less supportive, more harsh parenting style.

Supportive parenting was associated with more positive school adjustment and fewer behavior problems when the children were in sixth grade. Moreover, supportive parenting actually mitigated the negative impact of familial risk factors (i.e., socioeconomic disadvantage, family stress, and single parenthood) on children’s subsequent behavioral problems (Pettit et al., 2006).

Researchers at the Gottman Institute also investigated the impact of positive parenting by developing a 5-step ‘emotion coaching’ program designed to build children’s confidence and to promote healthy intellectual and psychosocial growth.

Gottman’s five steps for parents include:

awareness of emotions;
connecting with your child;
listening to your child;
naming emotions; and
finding solutions (Gottman, 2019).

Gottman has reported that children of “emotional coaches” benefit from a more a positive developmental trajectory relative to kids without emotional coaches. Moreover, an evaluation of emotional coaching by Bath Spa University found several positive outcomes for families trained in emotional coachings, such as parental reports of a 79% improvement in children’s positive behaviors and well-being (Bath Spa University, 2016).

Overall, research has indicated that positive parenting is related to various aspects of healthy child development (many more examples of evidence supporting the benefits are positive parenting are described further in this article). Such outcomes are neither fleeting nor temporary; and will continue well beyond childhood.

Another way of thinking about the role of positive parenting is in terms of resilience. When children—including those who begin life with significant disadvantages— experience positive and supportive parenting, they are far more likely to thrive.

It is in this way that positive parenting minimizes health and opportunity disparities by armoring children with large stores of emotional resilience (Brooks, 2005; Brooks & Goldstein, 2001). And since we know positive parenting works; what parent wouldn’t want to learn how to use it and thereby give his/her child the best shot at a healthy and happy life?

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There are various mechanisms through which positive parenting promotes a child’s prosocial development.

For example, Eisenberg, Zhou, and Spinrad et al. (2005) suggest that positive parenting impacts children’s temperament by enhancing emotion regulation (e.g., “effortful control” enabling children to focus attention in a way that promotes emotion modulation and expression).

The authors reported a significant link between parental warmth and positive expressivity on children’s long-term emotion regulation. This ability to use effortful control was found to predict reduced externalizing problems years later when children were adolescents (Eisenbert et al., 2005).

Along with emotion regulation, there are many other ways in which positive parenting encourages a child’s positive development and self-growth.

Here are some examples:

Teaching and leading promote children’s confidence and provides them with the tools needed to make good choices.
Positive communication promotes children’s social and problem-solving skills while enhancing relationship quality with caregivers and peers.
Warm and democratic parenting enhances children’s self-esteem and confidence.
Parental supervision promotes prosocial peer bonding and positive youth outcomes.
Autonomy-promoting parenting supports creativity, empowerment, and self-determination.
Supportive and optimistic parenting fosters children’s belief in themselves and the future.
Providing recognition for desirable behaviors increases children’s self-efficacy and the likelihood of engaging in prosocial, healthy behaviors.
Providing boundaries and consequences teaches children accountability and responsibility.

Generally speaking, there are many aspects of positive parenting that nurture children’s self-esteem; creativity; belief in the future; ability to get along with others; and sense of mastery over their environment.

Warm, loving and supportive parents feed a child’s inner spirit while empowering him/her with the knowledge and tools necessary to approach life as a fully capable individual.

5 Expert tips no parent should miss – Goalcast

The need for positive parenting begins – well, at the beginning. The attachment literature has consistently indicated that babies under one year of age benefit from positive parenting. More specifically, a secure attachment between infants and mothers is related to numerous positive developmental outcomes (i.e., self-esteem, trust, social competence, etc.; Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg & van Ijzendoorn, 2008).

The quality of the mother-child attachment is believed to be a function of parental sensitivity (e.g., mothers who accurately perceive and quickly respond to their babies’ needs; Juffer et al., 2008)— which is certainly a key indicator of positive parenting practices in their earliest form.

Not only is a secure mother-child attachment related to early positive developmental outcomes, but more recent attachment research also indicates long-term increases in social self-efficacy among girls with secure attachments to their fathers (Coleman, 2003).

There are even ways in which positive parenting benefits a child or family as soon as the parents learn of a pregnancy or adoption (i.e., see the subsequent ‘sibling rivalry’ section). Therefore, it cannot be stressed enough: Positive parenting begins as early as possible.

There is empirical evidence for numerous benefits of positive parenting, which cover all developmental stages from infancy to late adolescence. The following table provides a list of many such examples:

The evidence clearly supports a relationship between positive parenting approaches and a large variety of prosocial parent and child outcomes. Therefore, practitioners have developed and implemented a range of programs aimed at promoting positive parenting practices.

Here are some noteworthy examples; including those which target specific risk factors, as well as those with a more preventative focus:

Parent’s Circle program (Pearson & Anderson, 2001): Recognizing that positive parenting begins EARLY, this program helped parents of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit to enhance their parenting skills in order to better parent their fragile newborns.
The Home Visiting Program (Ammaniti, Speranza, & Tambelli, et al., 2006): Also focused on babies, this program aimed to increase parental sensitivity in order to improve secure mother-infant attachments. In doing so, psychologists visited high-risk mothers at their homes in order to improve parental sensitivity to their infants’ signals.
The Early Head Start Home-based Program (Roggman, Boyce, & Cook, 2009): This home-based program also focused on promoting parent-child attachment. Parents in semirural areas received weekly home-based visits from a family educator who taught them positive strategies aimed at promoting healthy parent-child interactions and engagement in children’s activities.
American Psychological Association’s ACT Raising Safe Kids (RSK) program (Knox, Burkhard, & Cromly, 2013): The goal of this program was to improve parents’ positive parenting knowledge and skills by teaching nonviolent discipline, anger management, social problem‐solving skills, and other techniques intended to protect children from aggression and violence.
New Beginnings Program (Wolchik, Sandler, Weiss, & Winslow, 2007): This empirically-based 10-session program was designed to teach positive parenting skills to families experiencing divorce or separation. Parents learned how to nurture positive and warm relationships with kids, use effective discipline, and protect their children from divorce-related conflict. The underlying goal of the New Beginnings Program was to promote child resilience during this difficult time.
Family Bereavement Program (Sandler, Wolchik, Ayers, Tein, & Luecken, 2013): This intervention was aimed at promoting resilience in parents and children experiencing extreme adversity: The death of a parent. This 10-meeting supportive group environment helped bereaved parents learn a number of resilience-promoting parenting skills (i.e., active listening, using effective rules, supporting children’s coping, strengthening family bonds, and using adequate self-care).
The Positive Parent (Suárez, Rodríguez, & López, 2016): This Spanish online program was aimed at enhancing positive parenting by helping parents to learn about child development and alternative child-rearing techniques; to become more aware, creative and independent in terms of parenting practices; to establish supportive connections with other parents; and to feel more competent and satisfied with their parenting.
Healthy Families Alaska Programs (Calderaa, Burrellb, & Rodriguez, 2007): The objective of this home visiting program was to promote positive parenting and healthy child development outcomes in Alaska. Paraprofessionals worked with parents to improve positive parenting attitudes, parent-child interactions, child development knowledge, and home environment quality.
The Strengthening Families Program (Kumpfer & Alvarado, 1998): This primary prevention program has been widely used to teach parents a large array of positive parenting practices. Following family systems and cognitive-behavioral philosophies, the program has taught parenting skills such as engagement in positive interactions with children, positive communication, effective discipline, rewarding positive behaviors, and the use of family meetings to promote organization. The program’s overall goal was to enhance child and family protective factors; to promote children’s resilience, and to improve children’s social and life skills.
Incredible Years Program (Webster-Stratton& Reid, 2013): This program refers to a widely implemented and evaluated group-based intervention designed to reduce emotional problems and aggression among children, and to improve their social and emotional competence. Parent groups received 12-20 weekly group sessions focused on nurturing relationships, using positive discipline, promoting school readiness and academic skills, reducing conduct problems, and increasing other aspects of children’s healthy psychosocial development. This program has also been used for children with ADHD.
Evidence-based Positive Parenting Programs Implemented in Spain (Ministers of the Council of Europe, in Rodrigo et al., 2012): In a special issue of Psychosocial Intervention, multiple evaluation studies of positive parenting programs delivered across Spain are presented. Among the programs included are those delivered in groups, at home, and online; each of which is aimed at positive parenting support services. This issue provides an informative resource for understanding which parents most benefited from various types of evidence-based programs aimed at promoting positive parenting among parents attending family support services.
Triple P Positive Parenting Program (Sanders, 2008): This program, which will be described in more detail in a subsequent post, is a highly comprehensive parenting program with the objective of providing parents of high-risk children with the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to promote healthy psychological health and adjustment in their children. While these programs are multifaceted, an overarching focus of the Triple P programs is to improve children’s self-regulation.

A reoccurring theme in the positive parenting literature is that a warm, yet firm parenting style is linked to numerous positive youth outcomes. This style is termed ‘authoritative’ and it is conceptualized as a parenting approach that includes a good balance of the following parenting qualities: assertive, but not intrusive; demanding, but responsive; supportive in terms of discipline, but not punitive (Baumrind, 1991).

Along with an authoritative parenting style, a developmental parenting style is also believed to support positive child outcomes (Roggman et al., 2008).

Developmental parenting is a positive parenting style that promotes positive child development by providing affection (i.e., through positive expressions of warmth toward the child); responsiveness (i.e., by attending to a child’s cues); encouragement (i.e., by supporting a child’s capabilities and interests); and teaching (i.e., by using play and conversation to support a child’s cognitive development (Roggman & Innocenti, 2009).

Developmental parenting clearly shares several commonalities with authoritative parenting, and both represent positive parenting approaches.

Overall, by taking a good look at positive parenting strategies that work for raising healthy, happy kids; it is evident that positive parenting styles encourage a child’s autonomy by:

Supporting exploration and involvement in decision-making
Paying attention and responding to a child’s needs
Using effective communication
Attending to a child’s emotional expression and control
Rewarding and encouraging positive behaviors
Providing clear rules and expectations
Applying consistent consequences for behaviors
Providing adequate supervision and monitoring
Acting as a positive role model
Making positive family experiences a priority

In a nutshell, positive parents support a child’s healthy growth and inner spirit by being loving, supportive, firm, consistent, and involved. Such parents go beyond communicating their expectations, but practice what they preach by being positive role models for their children to emulate.

4 Things you must say to your kids daily – Live on Purpose TV

The term ‘discipline’ often has a negative, purely punitive connotation. However, ‘discipline’ is actually defined as “training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character” (Merriam-Webster, 2019).

This definition is instructive, as it reminds us that as parents, we are not disciplinarians, but rather teachers. And as our children’s teachers, our goal is to respectfully show them choices for behaviors and to positively reinforce adaptive behaviors.

Positive discipline again harkens back to authoritative parenting because it should be administered in a way that is firm and loving at the same time. Importantly, positive discipline is never violent, aggressive or critical; it is not punitive.

Relevant: Examples of Positive Punishment & Negative Reinforcement

Physical punishment (i.e., spanking) is ineffective for changing behaviors in the long-term and has a number of detrimental consequences on children (Gershoff, 2013). Indeed, the objective of positive discipline is to “teach and train. Punishment (inflicting pain/purposeful injury) is unnecessary and counter-productive” (Kersey, 2006, p. 1).

Nelsen (2006) describes a sense of belonging as a primary goal of all people; a goal that is not achieved through punishment. In fact, she describes the four negative consequences of punishment on children (e.g., “the four R’s”) as resentment toward parents; revenge that may be plotted in order to get back at parents; rebellion against parents, such as through even more excessive behaviors; and retreat, that may involve becoming sneaky and/or experiencing a loss of self-esteem (Nelsen, 2006).

She provides the following five criteria for positive discipline (which are available on her positive discipline website ):

Is both kind and firm
Promotes a child’s sense of belonging and significance
Works long-term (note: punishment may have an immediate impact, but this is short-lived)
Teaches valuable social and life skills (i.e., problem-solving, social skills, self-soothing, etc.)
Helps children develop a sense that they are capable individuals

In her comprehensive and helpful book for parents: Positive Discipline , Nelsen (2006) also describes a number of key aspects of positive discipline, such as being non-violent, respectful, and grounded in developmental principles; teaching children self-respect, empathy, and self-efficacy; and promoting a positive relationship between parent and child.

Stated another way, “ respecting children teaches them that even the smallest, most powerless, most vulnerable person deserves respect, and that is a lesson our world desperately needs to learn ” (LR Knost, lovelivegrow.com).

Since we know that positive discipline does not involve the use of punishment; the next obvious questions become “Just what exactly does it involve?”

This question is undoubtedly urgent for parents who feel like their child is working diligently toward driving them mad. While we will discuss some of the more typical frustrations that parents regularly encounter later in the article, Kersey (2006) provides parents with a wonderful and comprehensive resource in her publication entitled “101 positive principles of discipline.”

Here are her top ten principles:

Demonstrate Respect Principle : Treat the child in the same respectful way you would like to be treated.
Make a Big Deal Principle : Use positive reinforcement in meaningful ways for desired behaviors. Reward such behaviors with praise, affection, appreciation, privileges, etc.
Incompatible Alternative Principle : Provide the child with a behavior to substitute for the undesirable one, such as playing a game rather than watching tv.
Choice Principle : Provide the child with two choices for positive behaviors so that he/she feels a sense of empowerment. For example, you might say “would you rather take your bath before or after your brush your teeth?”
When/Then – Abuse it/Lose it Principle : Ensure that rewards are lost when rules are broken. For example, you might say “After you clean your room, you can play outside” (which means that a child who does not clean his/her room, will not get to play outside. Period.)
Connect Before You Correct Principle : Ensure that the child feels loved and cared for before behavioral problems are attended to.
Validation Principle : Validate the child’s feelings. For example, you might say “I know you are sad about losing your sleepover tonight and I understand”.
Good Head on Your Shoulders Principle : Ensure that the child hears the equivalent of “you have a good head on your shoulders” in order to feel capable, empowered and responsible for his/her choices. This is especially important for teenagers.
Belonging and Significance Principle : Ensure that your child feels important and as if he/she belongs. For example, remind your child that he/she is really good at helping in the kitchen and that the family needs this help in order to have dinner.
Timer Says it’s Time Principle : Set a timer to help children make transitions. This helps kids to know what’s expected of them and may also involve giving them a choice in terms of the amount of time. For example, you might say “Do you need 15 or 20 minutes to get dressed?” Make sure to let the child know that the time is set.

The reader is encouraged to check-out Kersey’s 101 positive discipline principles, as they contain an enormous amount of useful and effective approaches for parents; along with principles that reflect many everyday examples (e.g., Babysitter Principle; Apology Principle; Have Fun Together Principle; Talk About Them Positively to Others Principle; Whisper Principle; Write a Contract Principle; and so much more).

This section has provided many helpful positive discipline ideas for a myriad of parenting situations and challenges. Positive discipline (which will be expounded on later sections of in the article: i.e., ‘positive parenting with toddlers and preschoolers,’ ‘temper tantrums,’ ‘techniques to use at bedtime,’ etc.) is an effective discipline approach that promotes loving parent-child relationships, as well as producing productive, respectful, and happy children.

The notion of parenting a toddler can frighten even the most tough-minded among us. This probably isn’t helped by terms such as ‘terrible two’s,’ and jokes like “ Having a two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it ” (Jerry Seinfeld, goodreads.com).

Sure, toddlers and preschoolers get a bad rap; but they do sometimes seem like tiny drunken creatures who topple everything in their path. Not to mention their tremendous noise and energy, mood swings, and growing need for independence.

While their lack of coordination and communication skills can be endearing and often hilarious; they are also quite capable of leaving their parents in a frenzied state of frustration. For example, let’s consider the situation below.

The Grocery Store Blow-out

In this relatable example, a dad and his cranky 3-year-old find themselves in a long line at a grocery store. The child decides she’s had enough shopping and proceeds to throw each item out of the cart while emitting a blood-curdling scream.

The father, who may really need to get the shopping done, is likely to shrivel and turn crimson as his fellow shoppers glare and whisper about his “obnoxious child” or “bad parenting.” He, of course, tells her to stop; perhaps by asking her nicely, or trying to reason with her.

When this doesn’t’ work, he might switch his method to commanding, pleading, threatening, negotiating, or anything else he can think of in his desperation. But she is out of control and beyond reason. The father wants an immediate end to the humiliation; but he may not realize that some quick fixes intended to placate his child, will only make his life worse in the long run.

So, what is he to do?

Before going into specific solutions for this situation, it is essential that parents understand this developmental stage. There are reasons for the child’s aggravating behaviors; reasons that are biologically programmed to ensure survival.

For example, kids aged two-to-three are beginning to understand that there are a lot of things that seem scary in the world. As such, they may become anxious about a variety of situations; like strangers, bad dreams, extreme weather, creepy images, doctor and dentist offices, monsters, certain animals, slivers or other minor medical issues, etc.

While these childhood fears make life more difficult for parents (i.e., when a child won’t stay in his/her room at night due to monsters and darkness, or when a child makes an enormous fuss when left with a babysitter), they are actually an indicator of maturity (Durant, 2016).

The child is reacting in a way that supports positive development by fearing and avoiding perceived dangers. While fear of monsters does not reflect a truly dangerous situation, avoidance of individuals who appear mean or aggressive is certainly in the child’s best interest.

Similarly, fear of strangers is an innate protective mechanism that prompts children to stay close to those adults who keep them healthy and safe. And some strangers indeed should be feared. Although a challenge for parents, young children who overestimate dangers with consistent false-positives are employing their survival instincts.

In her book Positive Discipline (which is free online and includes worksheets for parents), Durant (2016) notes the importance of respecting a child’s fears and not punishing her/him for them, as well as talking to the child in a way that shows empathy and helps him/her to verbalize feelings. Durant proposes that one of the keys of effective discipline is “… to see short-term challenges as opportunities to work toward your long-term goals” (2016, p. 21).

With this objective in mind, any steps a parent takes when dealing with a frightened or misbehaving child should always be taken with consideration of their potential long-term impact. Long-term goals, which Durant describes as “the heart of parenting” may be hard to think about when a child is challenging and a frustrated parent simply wants the behavior to stop.

However, punishing types of behaviors such as yelling, are not likely to be in-line with long-term parenting goals. By visualizing their preschooler as a high school student or even an adult, it can help parents to ensure that their immediate responses are in-line with the kind, peaceful and responsible person they wish to see in 15 years or so. Durant (2016) provides several examples of long-term parenting goals, such as:

Maintaining a quality relationship with the parent
Taking responsibility for actions
Being respectful of others
Knowing right from wrong
Making wise decisions
Being honest, loyal and trustworthy

Related: Examples of Positive Reinforcement in the Classroom

Grocery Store Blow-out Solutions

Long-term parenting goals are highly relevant to the maddening grocery store example. If the dad only thinks about the short-term goal of making his daughter’s behavior stop embarrassing him at the store, he might decide to tell her she can have a candy bar if she is quiet and stops throwing items from the cart.

This way, he might reason, he can finish his shopping quickly and without humiliation. Sure, this might work as far as getting the child to behave on that day— at that moment; BUT here are some likely consequences:

Next time they go shopping, she will do this again in order to receive the candy reward.
Pretty much every time they go shopping, she will do the same thing; and the value of the reward is likely to escalate as she gets tired of the candy.
She will learn that this behavior can get her rewards in all sorts of places beyond the grocery store, thus making her exhausted parents afraid to take her anywhere.

Moreover, the message she receives from the candy tactic will not reinforce the qualities the father likely wants to see in his daughter over time, such as:

Being respectful of her parents
Being respectful of others around her
Being respectful of others’ property
Being responsible for her behavior
Being courteous and considerate
Being helpful
Having good manners
Having good social skills

Therefore, the father might instead deal with this situation by calmly telling her that she needs to stop or she will get a time-out. The time-out can take place somewhere in the store that is not reinforcing for her, such as a quiet corner with no people around (e.g., no audience). Or they can go sit in the car.

If the store is especially crowded, the dad might also ask the clerk to place his cart in a safe place and/or save his place in line until he returns (which he/she will likely be inclined to do if it will get the child to be quiet). After a brief time-out, he should give his daughter a hug and let her know the rules for the remainder of the shopping trip, as well as the consequences of not following them.

In some cases, it might be better for the parent to simply leave the store without the groceries and go home. He won’t have completed his shopping, but that will be a small price for having a child who learns a good lesson on how to behave.

Very importantly, however; if he does take her home, this absolutely cannot be done in a way that is rewarding (i.e., she gets to go home and play, watch tv, or anything else she enjoys). She will need a time-out immediately upon arriving home, as well as perhaps the message that dinner won’t be her favorite tonight since the shopping was not done.

This is not meant to be punitive or sarcastic, more of a natural consequence for her to learn from (e.g., “If I act-out at the store, we won’t have my favorite foods in the house”). In fact, even though he may not feel like it, the father needs to speak to his daughter in a kind and loving way.

Regardless of whether the consequence is in the store or at home, the dad absolutely must follow-through consistently. If he doesn’t, he will teach her that sometimes she can misbehave and still get what she wants; this is a pattern of reinforcement that is really difficult to break.

Of course, the father cannot leave the store each time she misbehaves, as he won’t get anything done and he’s also giving her too much control. Thus, he should prepare in advance for future shopping trips by making her aware of the shopping rules, expectations for her behavior, and the consequences if she breaks them.

The father should be specific about such things, as “I expect you to be good at the store” is not clear. Saying something more like “The rules for shopping are that you need to talk in your quiet voice, listen to daddy, sit still in the cart, help daddy give the items to the clerk, etc.” The dad is also encouraged to only take her shopping when she is most likely to behave (i.e., when well-rested, well-fed, not upset about something else, etc.).

He might also give her something to do while shopping, such as by bringing her favorite book or helping to put items in the cart. Giving his daughter choices will also help her feel a sense of control (i.e., “You can either help put the items in the cart or you can help give them to the clerk”).

And, finally, the little girl should be rewarded for her polite shopping behavior with a great deal of praise (i.e., “You were a very good girl at the store today. You really helped Daddy and I enjoyed spending time with you”).

He might also reward her with a special experience (i.e., “You were so helpful at the store, that we saved enough time to go the park later” or “You were such a great helper today; can you also help daddy make dinner?”). Of course, the reward should not consist of food, since that can lead to various other problems.

There are many more positive parenting tips for this and other difficult parenting scenarios throughout this article, as well as numerous helpful learning resources. In the meantime, it is always wise to remember that your toddler or preschooler does not act the way he/she does in order to torture you— it’s not personal.

There are always underlying reasons for these behaviors. Just keep your cool, plan-ahead, think about your long-term goals, and remember that your adorable little monster will only be this age for a brief time.

Related: Parenting Children with Positive Reinforcement (Examples + Charts)

Siblings, whether biological; adopted; full or half stepsiblings; often pick at each other endlessly. Arguments between siblings are a normal part of life. However, sometimes the degree of animosity between siblings (e.g., sibling rivalry) can get out of control and interfere with the quality of the relationship. Not to mention creating misery for parents. Plus, there are negative long-term consequences of problematic sibling relationships, such as deviant behavior among older children and teens (Moser & Jacob, 2002).

Sibling rivalry is often complicated, as it is affected by a range of family variables, such as family size, parent-child interactions, parental relationships, children’s genders, birth order, and personality—among others. And it starts really early. Sometimes, as soon as a child realizes a baby brother or sister is on the way, emotions begin to run high. Fortunately, parents have a great opportunity to prepare their children from the start.

For example, the parent can foster a healthy sibling relationship by engaging in open communication about becoming a big brother or sister early on. This should be done in a way that is exciting and supports the child’s new role as the older sibling. Parents can support bonding by allowing the child to feel the baby kick or view ultrasound pictures. They can solicit their child’s help in decorating the baby’s room.

For some families, their newborn baby may be premature or have other medical problems that require time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In this situation, which can be quite stressful for siblings, parents should talk to the older child about what’s happening. Parents might also provide the child with updates on the baby’s progress, prepare the child for visits to the NICU, have the child draw a picture to leave with the baby, make a scrapbook for the baby, and set aside plenty of time with the older child (Beavis, 2007).

If the new child is going to be adopted, it is also important to encourage a connection. For example, along with explaining how the adoption will work, the child can be involved in the exciting aspects of the process once it is confirmed. In the case of an older child or international adoption, there are special things parents can do as well.

For example, if a child is in an orphanage, the sibling can help pick-out little gifts to send ahead of time (i.e., a stuffed animal, soft blanket or clothing). Having the child draw a picture and/or write a letter to the new sibling is another way to enhance the relationship. Adopting an older child will require particular preparation; as the new sibling will arrive with his/her own fears, traits, memories, and experiences that will certainly come into play.

There are a number of children’s books designed to help parents prepare their children for a new sibling, such as You Were the First (MacLachlan, 2013), My Sister Is a Monster : Funny Story on Big Brother and New Baby Sister How He Sees Her (Green, 2018), and Look-Look : The New Baby (Mayer, 2001).

There are also children’s books that help prepare children for adopted siblings, with some that are even more focused on the type of adoption. Here are a few examples: Seeds of Love : For Brothers and Sisters of International Adoption (Ebejer Petertyl & Chambers, 1997), A Sister for Matthew : A Story About Adoption (Kennedy, 2006), and Emma’s Yucky Brother (Little, 2002).

Along with the above tips, Amy McCready (2019) provides some excellent suggestions for ending sibling rivalry, these include:

Avoid Labeling Children: by labeling children in ways such as “the social one,” “the great student,” “the athlete,” “the baby” etc., parents intensify comparisons, as well as one child’s belief that he/she does not possess the same positive qualities as the other one (i.e., “if he’s the ‘brainy one,’ I must be the ‘dumb one,’”).
Arrange for Attention: Make sure each child has plenty of regular intentional attention so that they will be less inclined to fight for it.
Prepare for Peace: McCready describes several ways to teach conflict resolution skills that help to avoid further issues between siblings.
Stay out of Squabbles: Unless absolutely necessary (i.e., during a physical fight), it is best to stay out of squabbles. In doing so, the parent is not reinforcing the disagreement, while also enabling the children to work out solutions together.
Calm the Conflict: If you must intervene, it is best to help the children problem-solve the situation without judgment or taking sides.
Put them All in the Same Boat: McCready suggests that all children involved in the conflict receive the same consequence, which teaches them that they each will benefit from getting along.

These and other useful tips and resources are available on McCready’s Positive Parenting Solutions website . Luckily, by being thoughtful and preparing ahead of time, parents can avoid excessive competition between children and promote meaningful lifelong sibling bonds.

Before discussing positive parenting with teenagers, it is important to remember one key fact: Teens still need and want their parents’ support, affection, and guidance— even if it doesn’t seem like it. Just as with younger kids, parental figures are essential for helping adolescents overcome difficult struggles (Wolin, Desetta & Hefner, 2016).

Indeed, by fostering a sense of mastery and internal locus of control, adults help to empower a teen’s sense of personal responsibility and control over the future (Blaustein & Kinniburgh, 2018). In fact, the presence of nurturing adults who truly listen has been reported among emotionally resilient teens (Wolin et al., 2016).

Positive parenting practices such as quality communication, parental monitoring, and authoritative parenting style also have been found to predict fewer risky behaviors among adolescents (DeVore & Ginsburg, 2005).

As parents of teens know, there are many challenges involved in parenting during this developmental period. Adolescents often find themselves confused about where they fit in the area between adulthood and childhood. They may desire independence, yet lack the maturity and knowledge to execute it safely. They are often frustrated by their bodily changes, acne and mood swings.

Teens may be overwhelmed by school, as well as pressures from parents and peers. Teens may feel bad about themselves and even become anxious or depressed as they try to navigate the various stressors they face.

Many of these difficulties, which certainly need attention from parents, may also make conversations difficult. Parents may feel confused as to how much freedom versus protectiveness is appropriate. The Love and Logic approach (Cline & Faye, 2006) provides some terrific ways for parents to raise responsible, well-adjusted teens.

The authors’ approach for parents involves two fundamental concepts: “Love [which] means giving your teens opportunities to be responsible and empowering them to make their own decisions.” And “Logic [which] means allowing them to live with the natural consequences of their mistakes-and showing empathy for the pain, disappointment, and frustration they’ll experience” (Foster, Cline, & Faye, 2019, hopelbc.com, p. 1).

Just as with young children, the Love and Logic method is a warm and loving way to prepare teens for the future while maintaining a quality relationship with parents.

Another positive parenting approach that is particularly applicable to adolescents is the Teen Triple P Program (Ralph & Sanders, 2004). Triple P (which will be described in a subsequent post) is tailored toward teens and involves teaching parents a variety of skills aimed at increasing their own knowledge and confidence.

The program also promotes various prosocial qualities in teens such as social competence, health, and resourcefulness; such that they will be able to avoid engaging in problem behaviors (e.g., substance use, risky sex, delinquency, Bulimia, etc.). This approach enables parents to replace harsh discipline styles for those that are more nurturing, without being permissive. It aims to minimize parent-teen conflict while providing teens with the tools and ability to make healthy choices (Ralph & Sanders, 2004).

Parents of teens (or future teens) often shudder when considering the dangers and temptations to which their children may be exposed. With a focus specifically on substance use, the Partnership for Drug-free Kids website offers a great deal of information for parents who are either dealing with teen drug use or are doing their best to prevent it.

For example, several suggestions for lowering the probability that a teen will use substances include:

knowing your teen’s friends;
being a positive role model in terms of your own coping mechanisms and use of alcohol and medication;
being aware of your child’s level of risk for substance use;
providing your teen with substance use information;
supervising and monitoring your teen;
setting boundaries;
communicating openly about substance use; and
building a supportive and warm relationship with your teen (Partnership for Drug-free Kids; PDK, 2014).

These suggestions are discussed in more detail on the following PDF : Parenting Practices: Help Reduce the Chances Your Child will Develop a Drug or Alcohol Problem (PDK, 2014). By employing these and other positive parenting techniques, you are helping your teenager to become a respectful, well-adjusted and productive member of society.

Divorce has become so common that dealing with it in the best possible way for kids is of vital importance to parents everywhere.

Parental divorce/separation represents a highly stressful experience for children that can have both immediate and long-term negative consequences.

Children of divorce are at increased risk for mental health, emotional, behavioral, and relationship problems (Department of Justice, Government of Canada, 2015).

There is, however, variability in how divorce affects children; with some adverse consequences being temporary, and others continuing well into adulthood. Since we know that divorce does not impact all children equally, the key question becomes: What are the qualities that are most effective for helping children to cope with parental divorce?

There are differences in children’s temperament and other aspects of personality, as well as family demographics, that affect their ability to cope with divorce. But, for present purposes, let’s focus on the aspects of the divorce itself since this is the area parents have the most power to change.

Importantly, the detrimental impact of divorce on kids typically begins well before the actual divorce (Amato, 2000). Thus, it may not be the divorce per se that represents the child risk factor; but rather, the parents’ relationship conflicts and how they are handled. For divorced/divorcing parents, this information is encouraging—as there are things you can do to help your children (and you) remain resilient despite this difficult experience.

Parental Conflict and Alienation

There are several divorce-related qualities that make it more difficult for children to adapt to divorce, such as parental hostility and poor cooperation between parents (Amato, 2000); and interpersonal conflict between parents along with continued litigation (Goodman, Bonds, & Sandler, et al., 2005).

Parents dealing with divorce need to make a special effort not to expose their children to conflicts between parents, legal and money related issues, and general animosity. The latter point merits further discussion, as parents often have a difficult time not badmouthing each other in front of (or even directly to) their kids. It is this act of turning a child against a parent that ultimately serves to turn a child against himself (Baker & Ben-Ami, 2011).

Badmouthing the other divorced parent is an alienation strategy, given its aim to alienate the other parent from the child. Such alienation involves any number of criticisms of the other parent in front of the child. This may even include qualities that aren’t necessarily negative, but which can be depicted as such for the sake of enhancing alienation (Baker & Ben-Ami, 2011).

Baker and Ben-Ami (2011) note that parental alienation tactics hurt children by sending the message that the badmouthed parent does not love the child. Also, the child may feel that, because their badmouthed parent is flawed; that he/she is similarly damaged. When a child receives a message of being unlovable or flawed, this negatively affects his/her self-esteem, mood, relationships, and other areas of life ( Baker & Ben-Ami, 2011 ).

An excellent resource for preventing parental alienation is Divorce Poison : How to Protect Your Family from Bad-mouthing and Brainwashing (Warshak, 2010).

Warshak describes how one parent’s criticism of the other may have a highly detrimental impact on the targeted parent’s relationship with his/her child. And such badmouthing absolutely hurts the child. Badmouthed parents who fail to deal with the situation appropriately are at risk of losing the respect of their kids and even contact altogether. Warshak provides effective solutions for bad-mouthed parents to use during difficult situations, such as:

How to react when you find out about the badmouthing
What to do if your kids refuse to see you
How to respond to false accusations
How to insulate kids from bad-mouthing effects

Reasons that parents attempt to manipulate children, as well as behaviors often exhibited by children who have become alienated from one parent, are also described (Warshak, 2010). This book, as well as additional resources subsequently listed, provides hope and solutions for parents who are dealing with the pain of divorce.

Importantly, there are ways to support children in emerging from divorce without long-term negative consequences (i.e., by protecting them from parental animosity). It is in this way that parents can “enable their children to maintain love and respect for two parents who no longer love, and may not respect, each other” (Warshak, 2004-2013, warshak.com).

Positive parenting is an effective style of raising kids that is suitable for pretty much all types of parents and children. This article contains a rich and extensive collection of positive parenting research and resources; with the goal of arming caregivers with the tools to prevent or tackle a multitude of potential challenges. And, of course, to foster wellness and healthy development in children.

Here are the article’s key takeaways:

Parents are never alone. Whatever the problem or degree of frustration, there is a whole community of parents who have faced the same issues. Not to mention a ton of positive parenting experts with effective solutions.
Positive parenting begins early. Positive parenting truly starts the moment a person realizes he/she is going to become a parent since even the planning that goes into preparing for a child’s arrival will have an impact.
Positive parenting applies to all developmental periods. With a positive parenting approach, raising toddlers and teenagers need not be terrible nor terrifying. Positive parenting promotes effective, joyful parenting of kids of all ages.
Positive parents raise their children in a way that empowers them to reach their full potential as resilient and fulfilled individuals. Positive parents are warm, caring, loving and nurturing— and so much more: They are teachers, leaders, and positive role models. They are consistent and clear about expectations. They know what their kids and teens are doing. They encourage and reinforce positive behaviors. They make family experiences a priority. They support their children’s autonomy and individuality. They love their children unconditionally. They engage in regular, open dialogues with their children. They are affectionate, empathetic, and supportive. They understand that their teenagers still need them.
Positive discipline is an effective, evidence-based approach that is neither punitive nor permissive. Positive discipline is performed in a loving way without anger, threats, yelling, or punishment. It involves clear rules, expectations, and consequences for behavior; and consistent follow-through. It is in alignment with parents’ long-term parenting goals.
Positive parenting is backed by empirical evidence supporting its many benefits. Positive parenting promotes children’s self-esteem, emotional expression, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, social and decision-making skills, and belief in themselves. Positive parenting fosters secure attachments and quality relationships with parents; school adjustment and achievement; reduced behavior problems, depressive symptoms, and risk behaviors; and positive youth development in general. The outcomes associated with positive parenting are long-term and often permanent.
Positive parenting is applicable to a vast array of challenges. Positive parenting applies to everyday challenges, as well as more frustrating and even severe issues. Positive parenting has been effectively used for dealing with temper tantrums, bedtime and eating issues, and sibling rivalry; as well as difficulties associated with divorce, ADHD, family stressors, teen pressures, and risk-taking—and much more.
Positive parenting solutions are both abundant and accessible. Because positive parenting experts have tackled so many parenting issues, available resources are plentiful. Along with the many tips and suggestions contained in this article; there is a whole online library of positive parenting-related activities, workbooks, books, videos, courses, articles, and podcasts that cover a broad range of parenting topics.

Considering the many positive parenting solutions and resources currently available, parents can approach their role as teachers, leaders, and positive role models with confidence and optimism. And, ultimately, by consistently applying positive parenting strategies; parents will experience a deep and meaningful connection with their children that will last a lifetime. ?

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Parenting Exercises for free .

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I am currently a student in occupational therapy and I am in the process of completing my dissertation for my degree, focusing on positive parenting and its impact on children with ADHD. Recently, I purchased a book that contained a QR code leading me to your article. Would it be possible to receive the DOI and the PDF of this article via email, please?

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Thank you for compiling this research. It was truly helpful in getting started on a positive path.

Hi there! I am writing a research paper on gentle parenting and the positive effects it has. Would you be able to send me your resource list for this article?

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I am also writing a paper. When citing this article, should I use 2019 or 2023 as the date? Thank you!

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Great article. I really liked. I will share this article with my school.

I totally agree with many different points has written in this useful article, I spent several days to complete it,, but it was really worthy especially what you mentioned here about model of parenting. Thank your for all details and sources you wrote up there and waiting for your new things coming up.

i love your blog and always like new things coming up from it.

Positive parenting is key for a happy family! I totally agree that positive parenting promotes effective, joyful parenting of kids of all ages. The most important things about such a model of parenting are to know your kid’s friends, being a positive role model in terms of your own coping mechanisms and use of alcohol and medication, and building a supportive and warm relationship with your child. We are responsible for the future generation, therefore raising happy and good person is a must!

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Essay on Good Parenting

Students are often asked to write an essay on Good Parenting in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Good Parenting

Understanding good parenting.

Good parenting is like gardening. Just as plants need water and sunlight, children need love and care. Parents who do well listen to their kids, give them time, and show understanding. They guide them like a coach, teaching right from wrong.

Setting Rules

Parents set rules to keep children safe and help them learn good behavior. It’s like playing a game; everyone must know the rules to play fair. Good parents explain why rules are important, which helps children follow them.

Being a Role Model

Children copy what they see. When parents behave well, like being kind and honest, children learn to do the same. It’s like following a recipe; the result is often similar to the example.

Support and Encouragement

Good parents cheer for their kids, like fans at a sports game. They celebrate successes and give comfort when things don’t go well. This support helps children try new things and keep going, even when it’s hard.

250 Words Essay on Good Parenting

Good parenting is like planting a seed and caring for it to grow into a strong tree. It means guiding children with love so they can become their best selves. Parents who do well often listen to their kids, give them time, and set clear rules that are fair.

Love and Support

A big part of good parenting is showing love. This does not just mean saying “I love you” but also doing things that make a child feel safe and cared for. When parents cheer their kids on and help them when they fall, children learn to trust and feel confident.

Setting Limits

Parents need to set rules. This helps children learn right from wrong. The rules should be clear and the same every day. When children know the rules and what happens if they don’t follow them, they feel secure and know what to expect.

Encouraging Growth

Good parents let their children try new things. They teach them to work hard and not give up. By allowing kids to make small mistakes, they help them learn and get better. It’s like learning to ride a bike – falling is part of learning to balance.

Children watch what their parents do. When parents act kindly and honestly, their children are likely to do the same. It’s important for parents to show the behavior they want to see in their kids.

In short, good parenting is about love, teaching, and setting an example. It helps children grow up to be happy and good people.

500 Words Essay on Good Parenting

Good parenting is like planting a seed and caring for it to grow into a strong, healthy tree. It means giving children love, attention, and the right guidance so they can become the best they can be. Parents who do a good job do not just give their children food and a home. They also help them learn good habits, make good choices, and understand the difference between right and wrong.

The first part of good parenting is giving lots of love and support. This does not mean buying kids everything they want, but showing them they are loved no matter what. It means hugging them, listening to their stories, and being there when they are scared or upset. It is like being their cheerleader in life, always encouraging them to try hard and do well.

Good parents set rules and limits. They tell their children what is okay and what is not. This helps kids feel safe and understand what is expected of them. Rules about bedtime, homework, and how to treat others are all important. When children know the rules, they learn how to behave in different situations.

Teaching Responsibility

Parents also teach their kids to be responsible. This means giving them small jobs to do, like cleaning up toys or helping to set the table. When children have tasks, they learn how to take care of things and understand that their actions matter. It helps them grow up to be adults who can look after themselves and others.

Being a Good Example

Children watch everything their parents do. That is why good parents try to be good examples. They say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, treat people with kindness, and work hard. When kids see this, they want to act the same way. It is like showing them a path to walk on, one that leads to being a good person.

Listening and Talking

Good parents spend time listening to their children and talking with them. They ask about school, friends, and how they feel. When parents listen, children feel important and know their thoughts and feelings matter. Talking with kids also helps parents understand their children better and build a strong bond.

Encouraging Interests

Every child is different and has things they like to do. Good parents notice what their children enjoy and help them do more of it. If a child likes drawing, they give them paper and crayons. If they like sports, they play with them or take them to games. This helps children learn more about what they love and become more skilled and confident.

Good parenting is about love, rules, teaching, being a good example, listening, and encouraging. It is not always easy, but it is one of the most important jobs in the world. When parents do these things, children have a better chance of growing up happy, healthy, and ready to do well in life. It is like building a strong foundation for a house. With a good base, the house can stand tall and face any storm. That is what good parenting does for children. It gives them the foundation they need to build a good life.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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30+ great argumentative essay topics about family with essay prompts, bob cardens.

July 31, 2022
Essay Topics and Ideas , Nursing

To help you get started with argumentative essay writing, we’ve compiled a list of some potential argumentative Essay Topics About Family. Whether you’re looking for something lighthearted or something a little more serious, we’re sure you’ll find something on this list on Topics About Family with essay prompts

Argumentative Essay Topics About Family with prompts

My Attitudes Towards Marriage And Family

Essay prompt: Marriage, also recognized as a wedlock or matrimony to others, is regarded as the bottom-most unit in the social setting community is viewed differently by people.

Impact of Family-Centered Care on an Autistic Patient

Essay prompt: According to the Institute of Medicine, patient-centered care is health care that respects and responds to individual patient values, needs, and preferences. On the other hand, family-centered care involves a partnership between a family and a care provider in making health care decisions.

Family and Friends in Life

Essay prompt: Everyone comes from a family, which no one chooses at birth. However, individuals are privileged to select people they want to be their friends. Family members and friends are important in life since they enable them to overcome various challenges and find happiness through healthy interactions and social.

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Family Structures. What is a definition of family?

Essay prompt: Traditional notions of families have greatly evolved in recent years. What used to be a father, mother and children relationship has changed to accommodate polygamy, adoptive children, and extended family members as one.

What Does Family Mean To You Essay

Essay prompt: According to me, family means a lot. A family has different meanings such as by definition, friendship, and convenience. Regarding definition, family involves the people that I am related to by blood. What does family mean to you?

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Process philosophy and family and marriage

Essay prompt: In discussing one of these topics, the goal is to relate how a particular political perspective derives from process philosophy (such as socialism). In making the connection, incorporate clear references from the required reading.

Family System Theory

Essay prompt: Family system theory primarily emphasis on behavioral exchange at any given instance of interaction with family members. The theory supports that the sequence of the interrelationship between members of the family inspires, maintains and prolongs the problem and non-problematic manners.

Different Family Structures, Nontraditional Family Structures, and Family Systems Theory

Essay prompt: Today’s generation seems to have a more complex perspective of the world, but much clearer than before. Having these in mind, people do seem to slowly accept and readapt to these great changes that improve their perception of society today.

Further read on 50+ Top And Best Argumentative Essay Topics

Ethnography. A Comparison Between Zulu Culture And American Culture.

Essay prompt: In this analysis you may include a discussion of topics such as: economic/labor role, parenthood, child-rearing, marriage/divorce practices, reproductive issues, sexuality, family/kinship structure, household composition, or other topics that may be relevant in the book you read.

Causes and Effects of Unemployment on the family

Essay prompt: One of the most increasing issue in the families has become Unemployment, with Shelter, food and clothing topics being largely highlighted, Unemployment has now become a topic of discussion in the family. It is not only the bread winners that feel the loss of lively hood but also the young professionals …

Family Resource Management Education Term Paper Essay

Essay prompt: I decided to work on Family Resource Management. This is a very interesting and sensitive area that I think needs to be emphasized much more than the other FLE areas. This is because the basis of any life existence starts from the family set up.

Marriage and Roles of Women in the Family Portrayed in Mrs. Mallard’s and Mrs. Pontellier

Essay prompt: The concept of family has been viewed and analyzed from different perspectives across diverse societies all over the world. Most scholars define a family as an entity to different people, in different localities at different periods.

The Family Of Man In The Society

Essay prompt: The modern individual in the society is more aware than before as knowledge has increased and activism has been accepted as one of the ways to solve and express an individual’s opinions and problems.

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Importance of Family Health and The Strategies for Health Promotion

Essay prompt: Family is a crucial institution in the healthcare sector. The concept of family health is significant in devising a treatment plan for patients and offering healthcare prescriptions. Is family health important? Consider the various strategies for health promotion . How does a nurse determine which strategy to use on family health promotion?

Significance of Family values (argumentative Essay Topics About Family)

Essay prompt: In the past, the family was considered a social unit consisting of one or more parents with their children. Today, the definition of family has changed to encompass various family structures.

Opinion Writing About Can A Blended Family Be Successful?

Essay prompt: A blended family can be successful when the parents and the children are able to identify the blind spots and tackle the challenges that may bring disharmony on family unity.

Basic Techniques of Family Therapy Psychology Essay

Essay prompt: Family therapy can be carried out in various ways. Moreover, alternatives to every aspect of the process exist. However, some guidelines are shared by all the approaches. They serve as the core framework for clinical practice. Family therapy occurs in stages.

Here are 130 + Best Research Topic About Nursing – Types & How To Choose A Nursing Research Topic

Difference between Pacific and European Families in Family Structure and Authority

Essay prompt: Difference between Pacific and European Families in Family Structure and Authority Literature and Language Essay.

The Greatest Of The Franciscan Values (argumentative Essay Topics About Family)

Essay prompt: 1) Live lovingly. 2) Care for creation. 3) Proclaim joy and hope. 4) Be living instruments of peace to all our brothers and sisters in God’s family.

Addiction as a product of Social Dislocation and Family Stress.

Essay prompt: Societal addiction to drug and substance use has, and still is, a menace to our human society, prompting extreme measures to be put in place to not only curb, but also try to eradicate the problem.

Here are additional 60+ Top And Best Argumentative Essay Topics For Different Contexts

Marriage and Family Counselling

Essay prompt: Family systems have become more complex over time. Some of the systems that did not exist in the past include gay families, childless families, and single-parent families, among others.

Family Relations and Child-Rearing Practices: How They Changed Postmigration

Essay prompt: Migrating to another country or place with a completely different culture affects the whole lives of the family. However, while the most obvious difficulties that they face are those concerning with how they deal with other people, it also affects how each member deal with each other such as how they rear.

The Form and Function of Family

Essay prompt: The definition of family is a fundamental aspect of diverse medical disciplines. Since this definition shifts from one nation to another and within the countries due to the current times’ shifting realities, experts have suggested redefining this concept to integrate the diverse modern-day family. What is a definition of family that encompasses the different Family structures prevalent today?

Cognitive-behavioral Family Therapy and Multi-dimensional Family Therapy

Essay prompt: Populations at risk are considered the populations exposed to the risk of occurrence of a particular event in life. These populations need to be treated differently from other populations to reduce their risk of falling victim to the described event. (argumentative Essay Topics About Family)

Importance of Functional Theory in Understanding Families

Essay prompt: One of the critical topics I studied is the institution of the family. Family is an essential social unit making up the overall society. Family is examinable under various sociological views on contemporary families, including functional, conflict, and social interactionist approaches.

Family: How Has It Been Portrayed Through The Arts And In Real Life?
Essay prompt: Reflect on what the word family means and think about how it has been portrayed through the arts and in real life. A family is one of the greatest assets that life gifts each one of us with. It is all we are left with when everything else is gone.
What Family characteristics may contribute to potential or actual dysfunctional health patterns

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How to Be a Good Parent

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

There is no one right way to be a good parent, although there are many proven ways to be a flawed one, such as abuse, neglect, or overindulgence. A key challenge is resisting the urge to manage, guide, or control kids at all times, but research suggests that parents who give their children room to explore, grow, and, importantly, fail, may be serving them better. No parent should allow kids to put their health or safety at risk, or to allow core house rules to be flouted, especially when it comes to daily home and school responsibilities. But beyond that, building a home life that provides caring, consistency, choices, and consequences should go a long way toward a child’s social, emotional, and intellectual development—which should also lead to a stronger parent-child bond and happier child-raising years for everyone involved.

A paradox of parenting is that kids typically need less from their mothers and fathers than the adults realize. What they need, though, is essential: Love, emotional security, conversation, validation, responsibilities, time outside, and opportunities to play and learn. Parents who can focus their attention on these baseline goals and avoid getting caught up in the minutiae of measuring minutes on screens or dictating which shirt gets worn to preschool, will find that they and their children will enjoy each other more , and that their kids will more quickly become comfortable with their own selves.

Daily routines, and regular rituals, can be a powerful way to bond with children and help them feel emotionally secure. Time spent each day reading together, listening to music, going outside, performing a simple chore, and especially a positive interaction to start the day and open time at bedtime to review the day and say goodnight, research finds, helps kids establish a stable, positive emotional outlook.

Research on the casual chitchat also known as banter has found that it is essential for children’s emotional development, and for their vocabulary. Informal talks with parents expand kids’ knowledge and skills, and has positive emotional and social effects that last into adulthood. Weekend plans, neighborhood news, funny memories, seasonal changes, to-do lists, dream recollections, and things that excite you are all valid topics for banter during quiet portions of the day.

There are reasons why younger kids don’t always cooperate with a parent’s requests, even if the parent doesn’t immediately recognize them as good reasons. A child deeply engaged with play, for example, may resist being called away to get dressed or come to dinner. To avoid conflict, a parent should observe what a child is involved in before demanding that they move away from it. It’s often helpful to talk to a child about what they’re doing, and even join them for a time, before requesting that they move on to a necessary task. Just five minutes of such “sensitive caregiving” can not only avoid resistance but help a child become better able to develop social competence.

Research suggests that it will. Many studies have found that dog ownership helps younger kids learn responsibility and empathy, and potentially even develop language skills. Recent research has also found that kids who live with a pet become less likely to have conduct problems or peer conflicts, with behavioral improvement averaging around 30 percent. The effect emerged simply by having a dog present in the home, and the results were even more striking when children were actively involved in walking and caring for the pet—although having a pet did not necessarily diminish the symptoms of clinically diagnosed emotional conditions.

In many cities and states, local laws prohibit children under a certain age from either staying home alone or being outside without an adult present. Many parents have protested such rules, arguing that kids entering the tween years should be allowed to be on their own if mothers and fathers determine that they’re responsible. This movement, often called free-range parenting , makes the case for overturning such laws to bring families more freedom, independence, trust, and joy, but while some municipalities have moved to amend their laws, many others have resisted.

It’s impossible for a parent to be perfect. Fortunately, it’s not that hard to be the right parent for your own child. Listening, being supportive, encouraging activity and creativity, and establishing a secure family structure all go a long way toward providing the kind of childhood that help kids thrive. Unfortunately, even in the pursuit of these goals, parents can go too far by overscheduling kids, micromanaging them, refusing to recognize learning or emotional struggles for what they are, modeling unhealthy responses to stress, violating boundaries, or criticizing kids or comparing them to others—even siblings—out of frustration.

In a word, no, and no child can be perfect, either. But parents who believe perfection is attainable, in themselves or their kids, often struggle to take any joy in their role, or to provide joy to their children. It’s easy for a parent to become self-critical and beat themselves up over opportunities they didn’t offer their kids, or for not pushing them hard enough. But an intense, overscheduled childhood may not be the right one for your child. Being a “good enough” parent , many experts suggest, is sufficient to raise children who are decent and loving, confident enough to pursue their interests, and able to fail.

It shouldn’t be. Many parents believe they should control children at all times, directing them to fit their own vision of what type of person they should become. Such parents may be shocked and angered when children resist such pushing, leading to power struggles and potentially years of conflict. Parents who instead focus on baseline expectations and standards for responsibility and routines, and stick to them, while working to understand their children’s temperament and emotional needs, can form a connection with their kids and work with them to discover and pursue their own interests.

In many families, one parent emerges as the “fun one,” or the “good cop,” with the other wedged into the role of the serious one, or the “bad cop.” Not only does this generate a potentially unhealthy family dynamic, it can also strain a couple’s relationship. Partners who discuss their values, and each other’s priorities as parents, can face their children with more confidence, divide responsibilities more evenly, and approach children with consistency.

It can be tricky for parents of young children to recognize when a child is acting out and when there is a valid reason for what appears to be unwelcome behavior. For example, a child may become overstimulated or feel rushed during a busy day; become angry because they’re hungry; struggle to express “big feelings”; react to a long period of physical inactivity with high energy and a need to play; or become frustrated by a parent’s inconsistent limits. Taking a step back to evaluate whether a child’s behavior may be caused by a factor outside their direct control can go a long way toward keeping parents from punishing children who may not deserve it.

Ideally, a responsible one. Surveys suggest that well over 90 percent of children have an online presence by age 2—often their own Instagram or Facebook accounts (created and maintained by their parents). “ Sharenting ,” or sharing news or images of a child, can provide parents with social validation and the support of an online community. But as kids enter the tween and teen years they may push back and feel exposed or embarrassed by what their parents have posted, leading to family conflict. Parents should understand the privacy settings of all their social media platforms, consider whether a particular photo may eventually embarrass a child and as kids get older, ask for their approval before sharing anything online.

When a parent is anxious or worried, a child may become anxious as well. Parents who talk about adult worries with kids, fail to model or teach coping skills, or who are unreliable or fail to keep promises, can drive anxiety in their sons and daughters. But parents who swoop in to eliminate any source of anxiety, by, for example, taking over difficult tasks, can also inadvertently raise kids who may struggle to cope with challenges or stress. Parents who make time to listen, take children’s concerns seriously, provide consistent support, step back and let kids solve problems on their own (or not), and allow ample free time for play, can help children thrive.

For more, see Children and Anxiety

Children may feel anxious in a variety of situations—at the doctor’s office, at a birthday party, before a test, or in a storm—and look to parents for help. Unfortunately, simply telling them to “calm down” likely will not work. But encouraging them to calm themselves by taking slow, deep breaths, chewing gum or singing, talking openly about their worries and naming them, or finding humor in the situation can help them get through it and be better prepared to handle future stressors.

When kids are feeling stress, parents can easily become anxious as well, but mothers and fathers should aim to avoid displaying it, or “ mood matching ,” which may only amplify a child’s stress. Keeping calm and grounded, perhaps through the application of mindfulness techniques, can help parents remain a source of support even in difficult moments.

Younger children feel emotions deeply, but their emotions may also change quickly, sometimes shocking parents and making them feel helpless. A child may have a limited ability to control their emotions, but a parent can help them develop the competence they need to manage their feelings themselves, and gain confidence and self-esteem in the process. An important step is to help children identify and talk about negative emotions like sadness or anger and not deny or suppress them.

Highly sensitive children may struggle with their feelings more than other kids, become more easily overwhelmed, or take setbacks more personally. Parents who can successfully manage their own emotions can help a sensitive child by creating a calm environment at home, maybe in one specific place; focusing on the child’s strengths while accepting their struggles as part of the mix; and working with the child to recognize their triggers and the most effective ways to respond.

Too often, children who are depressed don’t tell their parents about it; two out of three parents admit that they worry they wouldn’t recognize depression in a child , and clinicians find that children often report having symptoms for two to three years before they get help. Many kids avoid talking about depression at home because they think a parent won’t listen, will just tell them it’s temporary, or try to fix it quickly like a boo-boo. Other kids keep quiet because they want to protect their parents’ feelings. Creating a home where difficult feelings can be talked about and respected is an important step toward children feeling comfortable enough to speak about anything, including depression.

The idea of bringing a child to a psychologist is scary for many parents, but they should not see it as a personal failure but an active and positive step toward helping their child get the help they need. And as the experts on their family, parents should work to find someone they believe their child (and themselves) will be comfortable with. Parents should ask potential providers about their typical approach, how closely they involve parents in therapy, how to talk about it with their child, and how soon they should expect improvement.

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How to Be a Good Parent After a Bad Childhood

Vowing to do better and learning how to unlearn is a valuable blueprint for giving your child what you never had.

It was bad when their screaming matches erupted in fisticuffs, my father punching my mother and pulling her hair. It was bad when we tried to intervene and they turned on us, teeth bared, threatening to throw us out or put us in foster care.

It was bad when they were drunk, which was most of the time. But the worst was when they left us alone, sometimes for days, when the house parties they went to spiraled into three-days of drunken revelry.

These were the days before cell phones: We couldn't find them. Food ran out. I remember one early January day, tracking my folks down after calling a dozen of their friends, begging the woman who answered after 20 rings to bring my mom to the phone. "She's dancing," the friend told me. "Could you call back later?"

Instinctively, even at 10 or 11, I believed it would be even more dangerous to tell on them. Would they take us away, put them in jail? To the world, we looked normal, exemplary—attractive parents, accomplished children—which made it even more sinister that we never felt safe.

And yet my own children have never felt anything but safe. While I know that I've let them down and upset them in all kinds of ways over the course of raising them, I also know that I have been an almost ridiculously stable parent—predictable, vigilant, a homebody whose idea of letting loose is a second glass of champagne on Christmas Eve.

The conventional wisdom is that intergenerational trauma is a gift that goes on giving , generation after generation. But without getting too grand about it, I'm a very good parent. I became one the way I became a good student: I studied. The writings of Dr. Spock and Dr. Sears; the unintended example of friends' parents. Most of all, I learned to be a good parent to myself, accepting that I wouldn't always make the right choices but that there would almost always be solutions for those times when I didn't.

Read on to learn how toxic parents affect children into adulthood and how that has the potential to show up in your own parenting. Plus, find tools to forge a new parenting path with love and intention.

Bad Parent Traits

Abusive parents have a big arsenal to help them do their destructive work. Characteristics of toxic parents include:

Lying and manipulation
Accusing you of things you would never do
Holding grudges for things you did long ago
Withholding comfort
Pushing you into situations from which only they can "save" you
Criticizing
Humiliating
Gaslighting

Nothing is good enough for toxic parents, no matter how hard you try: If you get straight A's, how come you're not a star athlete? They say they know everything about you but never seem to listen when you try to talk about your feelings.

They also compare you—to their shining selves, your sister, your friends—and yet seem jealous of every piece of luck that comes your way. They humiliate you in front of others, then insist they were "just kidding." They fight with each other; they fight with you. They try to convince you that it's you, not them, who is mentally unstable. They make it clear, subtly or not so subtly, that what's wrong with their life is you, and they were happy before you came along.

The Impact of Bad Parenting on Kids

Kids whose parents exhibit the above traits are at risk of long-term physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences. According to theChild Welfare Information Gateway (a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect include:

Lung disease
Malnutrition
Vision problems
Functional limitations
Heart attack
Back problems
High blood pressure
Brain damage
Migraine headaches
Bowel disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Diminished executive function and cognition
Poor mental and emotional health
Social difficulties
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Risky sexual behaviors
Juvenile delinquency
Alcohol and drug use
Repeating abuse as an adult

"If these kinds of experiences happened in your own childhood, it can feel tremendously isolating even though you are one of many," says Nerissa Bauer, M.D., a behavioral pediatrician who writes the blog Let's Talk Kid's Health . "It can be painful, embarrassing, and difficult to remember and share what you went through." After all, most of your friends are likely close to their parents, so they may underestimate the pain of your experiences and advise you to just talk it over and make up.

Our brain has an uncanny knack for storing the messages we received as children. A child who never knows when a temperamental parent is going to lash out at them, and who has been told that they are unlovable and insignificant, has stored years of those messages.

Kids of abusive parents can grow up untrusting, quick to anger , and suspicious of attachment, according to child-development educator Karen Young, author of the psychology blog Hey Sigmund . It's human nature for even capable, intelligent adults to fail to realize that they're still relating to the world like a small child in an unsafe environment.

In this way, people with cruel or manipulative parents are vulnerable to repeating the pattern, and many worry that they will do just that. Conversely, some worry they may swing so far in the other direction to avoid repeating their parents' mistakes that they do an opposite kind of harm.

For example, a parent who grew up constantly being criticized might belittle her own child or, just as damaging, be too permissive and never correct their behavior at all. For others, a difficult childhood can result in a debilitating lack of confidence, or fear that they will hurt their children in the way they themselves were hurt.

How Your Childhood Shows Up in Your Parenting

Parenting well is trickier indeed for those who grew up without good role models at home or those who had more than a few of what clinicians call ACEs (adverse childhood experiences). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ACEs include:

Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
Witnessing violence in the home or community
Having a family member attempt or die by suicide
Growing up in a household with substance use problems
Growing up in a household with mental health problems
Growing up with instability like parental separation or a family member in jail

Nearly everyone has a few, but a multitude of ACEs can have lifelong negative effects, including poorer physical and emotional health. In a survey conducted by the CDC, roughly 61% of respondents said they had experienced at least one ACE in childhood, and almost one in six reported four or more. Women are more likely to have undergone ACEs, as are Black and Latinx adults. Multiracial individuals are the most likely to experience ACEs.

Fear of failing your kids

There are days when Whitney, a mom of two who asked us not to share her last name, is terrified she will "mess up" her own children because she herself feels "flawed and messed up." Nothing in her life merits this description: She's a high-school teacher, writer, wife, and mother. Hers is the legacy of parents who raised her to try everything, with all her might, all the time, never showing weakness.

Years later, fighting an eating disorder , she was told by her therapist that she was battling "faulty core beliefs," among them that she needed to be perfect. Her older son is not yet 4, but she believes her first job is to help him understand that failing at something is not the same as being a bad kid, and that her love is his birthright: He will never need to earn it.

Of her parents, whom she loves dearly, she says, "People do the wrong things not because they are bad people." They were hardly more than teenagers when Whitney was born prematurely. Doctors said she would experience developmental delays. "My parents set out to prove them wrong." They pushed too hard.

Michael Degrottole says his father "didn't like being around his family. He wasn't big on kindness, and he was terribly bigoted. And he could be brutal, not so much with me because I was a shy, sensitive kid who backed off from conflict. But when my brother stood up to him, he took a beating."

Before having children of his own, Degrottole loved his work with the families of children with special needs but didn't know if he wanted to be a father. "I didn't want to fail," he says. He waited until he was nearly 50 to welcome his first child and now, a father of three, is an engaged, loving dad . Still, there are times when he'll open his mouth and hear his father's voice come out. "I have to stop myself and tell myself I'm going too far."

Determined to do better

Kristin, a mother of three who asked us not to share her last name, decided as a child that she was going to be patient and even-tempered, like her mother, instead of erratic and angry, like her alcoholic father. Growing up and becoming a mom both underscored her intentions and put them in perspective.

She realized that while her mother never exactly condoned her father's behavior, she didn't observe her mother intervening in the moment. Yet she realizes now how difficult parenting can be. "I do get angry," she says. "It's okay to show that you're angry. That's only human. But when I do, I really try to make sure my kids know that the anger is specific to the situation, not about them personally, and that it's not ongoing. That's the tricky part."

How to Break the Bad Parenting Pattern

Breaking the bad parenting loop takes intentional work. It involves assessing your own tendencies, finding support, and taking the small steps that create big, lasting change.

Take an inventory of your parenting risks

The first step in doing better is often an honest inventory of your own strengths and weaknesses. You know you love your children. You know you don't ever want them to wonder, as you did, if they're remarkable or even worthy. Don't leave anything out: You like to laugh. You pack a great lunch.

But, where are the areas you might have a tendency to repeat patterns? Here are some questions to ask yourself that might help you unearth areas you could grow:

Do I have a short fuse?
Does discipline quickly default to yelling or sarcasm?
Do I have a creeping tendency to insist I'm always right?
Can I be distant when I'm hurt?
Do I have a child who is expressing their own chronic stress through depression or whose way of expressing their distress is by getting into trouble?

If any of these traits describes you now or in the past, you're not alone, and there is hope in your awareness. Psychologist and Parents advisor Lisa Damour, Ph.D., cohost of the podcast Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting , asks, "How will you make meaning of that very difficult childhood? Being a parent causes emotions to surface that are very uncomfortable—for everyone. If you had parents who didn't handle dark feelings well, that means there will be extra work to do. But the more we understand our inner lives, the more options we have to move forward."

Get support

Many parents need help doing that work. Fortunately, we live in a time when there is less stigma attached to getting that help, whether from an online community or in a therapist's office.

Emotional difficulties are as real as any physical ailment, and you wouldn't set out to cure your own strep throat. Dr. Damour says, "People who can get themselves to my office are already showing a tremendous amount of strength. Nobody comes with all the answers."

It takes only one good role model, says therapist Leslie Moreland , LMHC of Sandwich, Massachusetts, who has seen the power of such relationships over and over in her years of work with troubled families and teen parents. "It can be a coach, a pediatrician, an aunt, a teacher, someone who sees the good in you," she says. "That one person can start to turn it all around."

Take small steps and build on them

Take small steps, advises Young. If you haven't been a warm and welcoming parent all the time, it may feel clumsy and awkward at first to make a shift toward loving care. The beginning of healing can feel like the beginning of an exercise routine: painful, even unsafe, with an overwhelming drive to go back to the way it was before.

Instead, let your eyes light up when your child comes into the room—even if you're not feeling it. Sit down together to say your good nights, and really mean that you hope the night will be good.

"You're opening a new brain pathway," says Young. "And when it feels like a real struggle, remember that when you change one part of a response, the others will start to change around it. Have patience with yourself. Just because you know how to play tennis now doesn't mean you're ready to go out and win at Wimbledon."

Every positive experience helps build stronger pathways. A 2019 study from researchers at Brigham Young University suggests that "counter-ACEs," or positive childhood experiences, have a beneficial effect on health and well-being regardless of the number of ACEs a child experiences. In fact, the absence of these positive experiences can be more detrimental than the adverse experiences themselves.

According to the CDC , positive childhood experiences include:

Having routines and structure
Receiving praise
Having parents who listen
Having parents who talk and play with their kids

So, every time your children can rely on you to react in a predictable, positive way, their emotional resiliency—that quality that will allow them to bounce back from tough experiences—grows stronger.

Establish boundaries with your own parents

What if your own parents are still part of the picture? You can find ways to engage with your parents if it feels right to you. Maybe they've cleaned up their act; maybe they want to be part of your children's lives.

Even for functioning families, holidays and special occasions, laced with nostalgia, excitement, and often alcohol, can be breeding grounds for conflict. If you're invited to a gathering, it may raise all those lost wishes that this Christmas, this Thanksgiving, would be different. A difficult parent may save up resentments to air in person: If this starts, be proud if you can gently make your excuses and leave. Your kids may be disappointed, but they will see that you remained self-possessed.

Even if your parents are perfectly behaved and loving with their grandkids, it can be a mixed blessing: It's only human nature to be wistful about what you were denied. Whitney sees her mom and dad as calm, wise grandparents to her preschool-age sons. "But when I hear how they speak to my younger sister, telling her that her depression was 'just looking for attention' and to not be a 'head case,' I know that if I didn't have children, I might not spend so much time with them."

And if you have no desire to see your parents at all, that's okay too. Although forgiveness as a ritual holds a popular place in modern culture, it isn't necessary to let bygones be bygones in order to move forward and be a good parent. That's a deeply personal choice, says clinical psychologist Alyson Corner, cofounder of MyHorridParent.com . And it's one you can make in your own way and in your own time.

Practice being a safe place for your kids

It's in our families that we first feel acceptance, says Tracy Lamperti , LMHC, a licensed mental-health counselor in Brewster, Massachusetts. It's there that we practice the social skills we take to the larger world. It can be an enormous effort for parents to put aside a traumatic history , but your kids need to know that their parents are a safe place to bring the hard stuff.

"A child wants to know, 'Who's going to hold me if I'm upset because someone was picking on me at school? Do I develop defense mechanisms and say it doesn't bother me, or is it safe to just hash it out?' They want to know that these are their people, their tribe. That they can be there for each other," Lamperti says.

When we were both very young parents, my brother said something to me that I think of all the time: "If Mom and Dad left us out in the water, well, then our kids are going to be safe on the sand, and their children are going to be up on the hill." Just as trauma can resonate through generations, so can healing.

The Qualities of a Good Parent

Just as bad parents have predictable traits, so do good parents. Honing these skills can be another way to break the bad parenting cycle.

An unqualified apology

One hallmark of bad parenting is the inability to admit fault. When you're wrong, it's a gift to validate your child's perceptions by saying you're sorry —no excuses. It's not their fault that you're tired or worried about work. Don't gloss over the mistake. Describe it and point out how it could have gone better.

It may be hard to resist complaining to your children about your parents (or frustrations or fears). But it's important that you not burden kids with information they may not be capable of grappling with or place them in the role of confidante .

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is committed more than ever to recognizing that children's physical health is connected with their family's emotional health, according to Dr. Bauer. According to the AAP , your child's health care provider is an important first resource for parents worried about their child's emotional health.

So don't be afraid to raise big issues, from safety to substance misuse in the family, with your child's doctor so they can connect you with help. Your shame over these problems is understandable, but it is not worth putting your children at risk if something is amiss at home.

You're rushed. Your child is rushed. But if you can extend saying good night, or simply sitting together or looking your child full in the face, even for another minute, it will increase your connection by magnitudes.

A time-out … for you

If you feel your parents' ways rising up in you, says Moreland, walk right out of the room. Keep walking. Have a cup of tea. Sleep on it. Nothing has to be settled that minute.

Persistence

Your kids really want you to succeed with them, and they'll give you plenty of do-overs. According to Dr. Bauer, it takes more than a few fails to shake their faith in you, so don't give up. When it means giving better than you got, you get credit for trying again, and again. As the old parenting adage goes: "You get a million chances."

The Bottom Line

Certainly, the easiest way to become a great parent is to have one or two yourself. But I dare to suggest that my harder-won competence might in some instances go deeper than that of my peers. As the experts I interviewed for this story and my own experiences taught me, I may be a better parent because I've seen firsthand the damage bad parenting can do.

Because of how I was parented, I'm even more motivated to do the right thing than some of my peers who had luckier childhoods. I'm determined to offer empathy where none was offered to me because I am acutely aware that I'm not just raising today's young people but also tomorrow's parents.

Most of all, I have courage. My own childhood was something I'd never wish on anyone, but it made me strong. If you grew up in a manner you would not wish on your own children, you likely have similar strength. And even if you had the loveliest parents alive, there is plenty of advice herein to help you parent better when, say, you're burned out, going through a rough patch, or just feeling discouraged.

This article originally appeared in Parents magazine's January 2021 issue as "How to Be a Good Parent After a Bad Childhood."

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Effects of Divorce on Families

The most basic effects of separation on kids or young adults incorporate an effect on their psychological changes, proper social skills, scholarly accomplishments and even behavior impacts that can carry on over the span of adulthood. The most recognized effects that divorce has on kids present themselves in the way that children will begin to reprimand themselves for the separation, there is a sense of vulnerability in elements of life that were previously concrete, there are social issues that emerge, […]

Effects of Marriage and Divorce on Children

Development during early childhood is very important. It shapes who a person is in their actions, values, and ideals for the rest of their life. Divorce can affect how a child develops cognitively. Due to the stress of conflict, potential lack of attention or loss of resources the child receives during divorce it can be detrimental to how a young child cognitively develops and can have impacts on their life in the moment, but also long-term consequences. The self-image of […]

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52 Argumentative Essay Ideas that are Actually Interesting

What’s covered:, how to pick a good argumentative essay topic, elements of a strong argumentative essay, argumentative essay idea example topics.

Are you having writer’s block? Coming up with an essay topic can be the hardest part of the process. You have very likely encountered argumentative essay writing in high school and have been asked to write your own. If you’re having trouble finding a topic, we’ve created a list of 52 essay ideas to help jumpstart your brainstorming process! In addition, this post will cover strategies for picking a topic and how to make your argument a strong one. Ultimately, the goal is to convince your reader.

An argumentative essay tasks the writer with presenting an assertion and bolstering that assertion with proper research. You’ll present the claim’s authenticity. This means that whatever argument you’re making must be empirically true! Writing an argumentative essay without any evidence will leave you stranded without any facts to back up your claim. When choosing your essay topic, begin by thinking about themes that have been researched before. Readers will be more engaged with an argument that is supported by data.

This isn’t to say that your argumentative essay topic has to be as well-known, like “Gravity: Does it Exist?” but it shouldn’t be so obscure that there isn’t ample evidence. Finding a topic with multiple sources confirming its validity will help you support your thesis throughout your essay. If upon review of these articles you begin to doubt their worth due to small sample sizes, biased funding sources, or scientific disintegrity, don’t be afraid to move on to a different topic. Your ultimate goal should be proving to your audience that your argument is true because the data supports it.

The hardest essays to write are the ones that you don’t care about. If you don’t care about your topic, why should someone else? Topics that are more personal to the reader are immediately more thoughtful and meaningful because the author’s passion shines through. If you are free to choose an argumentative essay topic, find a topic where the papers you read and cite are fun to read. It’s much easier to write when the passion is already inside of you!

However, you won’t always have the choice to pick your topic. You may receive an assignment to write an argumentative essay that you feel is boring. There is still value in writing an argumentative essay on a topic that may not be of interest to you. It will push you to study a new topic, and broaden your ability to write on a variety of topics. Getting good at proving a point thoroughly and effectively will help you to both understand different fields more completely and increase your comfort with scientific writing.

Convincing Thesis Statement

It’s important to remember the general essay structure: an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A strong thesis statement will set your essay up for success. What is it? A succinct, concise, and pithy sentence found in your first paragraph that summarizes your main point. Pour over this statement to ensure that you can set up your reader to understand your essay. You should also restate your thesis throughout your essay to keep your reader focused on your point.

Ample Research

A typical argumentative essay prompt may look like this: “What has been the most important invention of the 21st century? Support your claim with evidence.” This question is open-ended and gives you flexibility. But that also means it requires research to prove your point convincingly. The strongest essays weave scientific quotes and results into your writing. You can use recent articles, primary sources, or news sources. Maybe you even cite your own research. Remember, this process takes time, so be sure you set aside enough time to dive deep into your topic.

Clear Structure

If the reader can’t follow your argument, all your research could be for nothing! Structure is key to persuading your audience. Below are two common argumentative essay structures that you can use to organize your essays.

The Toulmin argument and the Rogerian argument each contain the four sections mentioned above but executes them in different ways. Be sure to familiarize yourself with both essay structures so that your essay is the most effective it can be.

The Toulmin argument has a straightforward presentation. You begin with your assertion, your thesis statement. You then list the evidence that supports your point and why these are valid sources. The bulk of your essay should be explaining how your sources support your claim. You then end your essay by acknowledging and discussing the problems or flaws that readers may find in your presentation. Then, you should list the solutions to these and alternative perspectives and prove your argument is stronger.

The Rogerian argument has a more complex structure. You begin with a discussion of what opposing sides do right and the validity of their arguments. This is effective because it allows you to piece apart your opponent’s argument. The next section contains your position on the questions. In this section, it is important to list problems with your opponent’s argument that your argument fixes. This way, your position feels much stronger. Your essay ends with suggesting a possible compromise between the two sides. A combination of the two sides could be the most effective solution.

Is the death penalty effective?
Is our election process fair?
Is the electoral college outdated?
Should we have lower taxes?
How many Supreme Court Justices should there be?
Should there be different term limits for elected officials?
Should the drinking age be lowered?
Does religion cause war?
Should the country legalize marijuana?
Should the country have tighter gun control laws?
Should men get paternity leave?
Should maternity leave be longer?
Should smoking be banned?
Should the government have a say in our diet?
Should birth control be free?
Should we increase access to condoms for teens?
Should abortion be legal?
Do school uniforms help educational attainment?
Are kids better or worse students than they were ten years ago?
Should students be allowed to cheat?
Is school too long?
Does school start too early?
Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school?
Is summer break still relevant?
Is college too expensive?

Art / Culture

How can you reform copyright law?
What was the best decade for music?
Do video games cause students to be more violent?
Should content online be more harshly regulated?
Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
Should schools ban books?
How important is art education?
Should music be taught in school?
Are music-sharing services helpful to artists?
What is the best way to teach science in a religious school?
Should fracking be legal?
Should parents be allowed to modify their unborn children?
Should vaccinations be required for attending school?
Are GMOs helpful or harmful?
Are we too dependent on our phones?
Should everyone have internet access?
Should internet access be free?
Should the police force be required to wear body cams?
Should social media companies be allowed to collect data from their users?
How has the internet impacted human society?
Should self-driving cars be allowed on the streets?
Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
Are professional athletes paid too much?
Should the U.S. have more professional sports teams?
Should sports be separated by gender?
Should college athletes be paid?
What are the best ways to increase safety in sports?

Where to Get More Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original argumentative essay ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

50 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students

4-minute read

11th June 2022

The goal of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to understand and support your position on an issue by presenting your reasoning along with supporting evidence. It’s important to find the right balance between giving your opinions and presenting established research.

These essays discuss issues around a range of topics, including science, technology, politics, and healthcare. Whether you’re a teacher looking for essay topics for your students or a student tasked with developing an idea of your own, we’ve compiled a list of 50 argumentative essay topics to help you get started!

● Does texting hinder interpersonal communication skills?

● Should there be laws against using devices while driving?

● Do violent video games teach or encourage people to behave violently?

● Should social media sites be allowed to collect users’ data?

● Should parents limit how long their children spend in front of screens?

● Is AI helping or hurting society?

● Should cyber-bullying carry legal consequences?

● Should Supreme Court justices be elected?

● Is war always a political decision?

● Should people join a political party?

● Is capitalism ethical?

● Is the electoral college an effective system?

● Should prisoners be allowed to vote?

● Should the death penalty be legal?

● Are governments around the world doing enough to combat global warming?

● Is healthcare a fundamental human right?

● Should vaccinations be mandated for children?

● Are there any circumstances under which physician-assisted suicides should be legal?

● Should parents be able to choose specific genetic modifications of their future children?

● Should abortion be legal?

● Is it ethical to perform medical experiments on animals?

● Should patients who lead unhealthy lifestyles be denied organ transplants?

● Should doctors be able to provide medical care to children against their parents’ wishes?

Mental Healthcare

● What causes the stigma around mental health?

● Discuss the link between insufficient access to mental health services and the high suicide rates among veterans.

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● Should cannabis be used as a treatment for patients with mental disorders?

● Is there a link between social media use and mental disorders?

● Discuss the effect of physical activity on mental health.

● Should sports be segregated by gender?

● Should male and female athletes be given the same pay and opportunities?

● Are professional athletes overpaid?

● Should college athletes be paid?

● Should sports betting be legal?

● Should online access to art such as music be free?

● Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?

● Are there any circumstances under which books should be banned?

● Should schools be required to offer art courses?

● Is art necessary to society?

● Should schools require uniforms?

● Should reciting the Pledge of Allegiance be required in schools?

● Do standardized tests effectively measure intelligence?

● Should high school students take a gap year before pursuing higher education?

● Should higher education be free?

● Is there too much pressure on high school students to attend college?

● Are children better off in two-parent households?

● Should LGBTQ+ partners be allowed to adopt?

● Should single people be able to adopt children as easily as couples?

● Is it okay for parents to physically discipline their children?

● Does helicopter parenting help or hurt children?

● Should parents monitor their children’s Internet use?

Proofreading & Editing

An argument could also be made for the importance of proofreading your essay ! The reader can focus more on your message when your writing is clear, concise, and error-free, and they won’t question whether you’re knowledgeable on the issues you’re presenting. Once you have a draft ready, you can submit a free trial document to start working with our expert editors!

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What’s the Best Advice You’ve Received About Fatherhood?

With Father’s Day around the corner, we’re looking for tips you’d like to pass on.

A father brushes his daughter's hair while she sits on the bathroom counter.

By The New York Times

Parenthood does not come with a definitive instruction manual. While there are scores of books, influencers and classes offering guidance on how to raise children, the experts all have their own, sometimes wildly different, methods. Family members or strangers on the internet who may or may not have been asked for their advice are also eager to share their often conflicting opinions. And, still, even though men are spending more time at home with their families, many of those discussions are aimed at mothers.

That’s not to say dads aren’t searching for advice. Anyone with a child, no matter what age, needs help at some point, and, in the midst of all the noise, fathers find the strategies, tips, and yes, dad jokes, that work for them.

Ahead of Father’s Day, we’d like to hear your best pieces of advice for dads today. If you’re already a father, it could be a hack that was passed down to you, or one you discovered almost by mistake. Maybe you have a seemingly magic formula to calm down a fussy kid, or a way to stay connected to a teenager in your life. Is there a parenting motto that kept you sane when things got tough? Is there something special your own father did that you wish other dads knew about?

Please fill out the form below to share your experiences and tips, and your response may be part of an upcoming article. We will not publish any part of your submission without contacting you. A reporter will be in touch first.

Share your best advice for dads

A guide to parenting now.

Some anxious parents are choosing “sleepunders” picking kids up just before bedtime — or even staying over with them. Here are the pros and cons to that approach.

Many parents feel the need to stuff their children’s days full of activities to keep them entertained and engaged. But boredom has its virtues .

Being a modern parent means juggling many opinions on how to do it correctly. The good news is that there’s no one way to do it right .

Parental burnout is real. Take this test to clarify how depleted you feel — so hopefully you can get the help you need.

More American women are having kids later in life. We asked mothers who had children after 40 to share their experiences.

Millennial parents, guided by influencers, are now proudly try-hard, and they're embracing a new “gentle parenting” approach .

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👍 Good Essay Topics on Parent. Triadic Co-Parenting and Dyadic Marital and Parent-Child; The Spread of Single-Parent Families in the United States Since 1960; The Strength of a Single Parent Shown in The Scarlet Letter; What Parent Characteristics Are Related to the Physical Abuse of the Children;
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Here are 119 parenting essay topic ideas and examples to get you started: The importance of setting boundaries with your children. How to handle tantrums in public. Teaching kids about the value of money. The benefits of reading to your children. The challenges of raising a child with special needs. Balancing work and family life.
128 Parent Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
These essay topics are just a starting point for your child's writing journey. Encourage them to use their creativity and imagination to make each essay unique and personal. By providing them with a wide range of topics to choose from, you can help them develop their writing skills and express their thoughts and feelings in a meaningful way.
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This essay aims to describe parenting styles, reflect on the impact of my family's upbringing approaches, and discuss how I plan to raise my children. Understanding of Motherhood and Parenting Role. Culture, social reproduction, emotions, and the media are progressively affecting the motherhood and parenting role.
How to Be a Good Parent: [Essay Example], 672 words
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In the current essay, the abovementioned four parenting styles will be considered, and four various answers on Molly's desired behavior will be provided. Authoritative Parenting in Comparison to Other Styles. There are four parenting styles: authoritative, permissive, neglectful, authoritarian.
My Parents Essay for Students and Children
Answer 1: Parents are the most precious gifts anyone can get. However, as not everyone has them, we must consider ourselves lucky if we do. They are the strength and support system of children and help them out always. Moreover, the parents train the children to overcome challenges and make the best decision for us.
Top 165 Parenting Essay Topics & Ideas for 2022
Harriet the Spy Parenting Styles. These parents are obedience- and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation. Little Harriet is leaving the cognitive developmental stage that is called "concrete operational stage". The concrete operational stage …. Various Parenting Styles.
What is Positive Parenting? 33 Examples and Benefits
Most adults will become parents at some point in their lives (i.e., around 89.6% of the adult population worldwide; Ranjan, 2015). And while most of us strive to be great parents, we may also find ourselves confused and frustrated by the seemingly endless challenges of parenthood.
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1. The benefits and drawbacks of two-parent households compared to single-parent households. 2. The impact of two-parent households on children's academic achievement and social development. 3. The role of gender dynamics in two-parent households and how it affects family dynamics. 4.
Essay on Good Parenting
Good parenting is about love, rules, teaching, being a good example, listening, and encouraging. It is not always easy, but it is one of the most important jobs in the world. When parents do these things, children have a better chance of growing up happy, healthy, and ready to do well in life. It is like building a strong foundation for a house ...
Good Parenting
Good Parenting - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas. Good parenting involves providing love, support, and guidance to children as they grow and develop. It requires setting clear boundaries and rules, while also allowing room for independence and exploration. Good parents prioritize their children's needs and wellbeing, and help them develop ...
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The Greatest Of The Franciscan Values (argumentative Essay Topics About Family) Essay prompt: 1) Live lovingly. 2) Care for creation. 3) Proclaim joy and hope. 4) Be living instruments of peace to all our brothers and sisters in God's family. Addiction as a product of Social Dislocation and Family Stress.
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A Personal Perspective: Mirroring is a natural behavior. Using it consciously can make you a more effective supporter. 1. 2. Next. There is no one right way to be a good parent, although there are ...
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Sit down together to say your good nights, and really mean that you hope the night will be good. "You're opening a new brain pathway," says Young. "And when it feels like a real struggle, remember ...
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14 essay samples found. A single parent is an individual who has most of the day-to-day responsibilities in the raising of the child or children, which would categorize them as the dominant caregiver. Essays could discuss the challenges and rewards of single parenting, societal attitudes towards single parents, and the impact of single ...
52 Argumentative Essay Ideas that are Actually Interesting
Coming up with an essay topic can be the hardest part of the process. You have very likely encountered argumentative essay writing in high school and have been asked to write your own. If you're having trouble finding a topic, we've created a list of 52 essay ideas to help jumpstart your brainstorming process!
50 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students
These essays discuss issues around a range of topics, including science, technology, politics, and healthcare. Whether you're a teacher looking for essay topics for your students or a student tasked with developing an idea of your own, we've compiled a list of 50 argumentative essay topics to help you get started!
Single Parent Essays: Examples, Topics, & Outlines
As a matter of fact, as Strong, DeVault, and Cohen (2010) point out, "in the United States, as throughout the world, single parent families have increased and continue to grow in number" (p. 468). Various research studies conducted in the past have clearly demonstrated that single parent families face more challenges than two-parent families.
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Many parents feel the need to stuff their children's days full of activities to keep them entertained and engaged. But boredom has its virtues . Being a modern parent means juggling many ...