The main advantage of how does permissive parenting affect the child is that it provides children with a lot of love and warmth and very few rules or limits. This allows kids to feel a great sense of freedom and independence while establishing a positive parent-child relationship. However, this kind of parenting can have a few drawbacks as well.
One is that the parents may have difficulty saying no to their child’s demands. This can lead to a lack of structure and consistency in their home, for example, not having a regular bedtime or a set schedule for homework or screen time. It can also be difficult to make decisions and set goals, says Borden. This can lead to an inability to work through negative emotions like disappointment or failure, which is important for developing social-emotional skills.
Setting Boundaries: How Permissive Parenting Influences a Child’s Behavior
Another downside is that because there are no parental controls, kids can have a hard time learning the difference between their needs and wants. They may start demanding everything they want, and if their parents say no, they might be aggressive or act out. This can be damaging to their self-esteem.
Children raised with this type of parenting can have poor decision-making skills and are more likely to engage in substance abuse behaviors and peer pressures because they don’t learn how to work through their emotions and deal with disappointment. They are also more likely to have trouble following and enforcing rules because they don’t understand what the consequences will be for their choices.