Various factors play into the aspects of parenting, whether it be cultural, societal, situational, political, or economic. Every parent has a unique attitude towards the upbringing of their child, which overall establishes a child’s morals, principles, and personality and can be predominant into their future. Even so, researchers have been able to categorize these numerous styles into four groupings: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. It is necessary for parents to ensure that they shape their children’s lives the correct way, which will truly initiate success and prepare them for the future. 
Authoritarian parenting can be described as strict, unclear rules and standards that the child must obey with little freedom of speech, compromise, or negotiation. Mistakes usually lead to harsh punishments that are used to instill obedience, rather than teach.  
Children of this style may grow up well-behaved and more able to follow instructions, but there are a significant number of other, damaging consequences. For example, they can develop a “follower” mentality where they have trouble determining on their own, especially right from wrong. They also have poor self-esteem, which further reinforces their inability to make decisions. In addition, as they are constantly in fear of punishment, levels of aggression can remain uncontrolled since proper guidance is never provided. Firm parental regulations and consequences do not appear to instill lasting lessons but rather influence the child to rebel against authoritative figures as they grow older. 
Often seen as the best parental style, authoritative parenting creates a loving atmosphere where autonomy and discipline coexist by establishing clear expectations and offering advice and support to the child. In addition to establishing guidelines and limits, authoritative parents are flexible and open to communication. They practice attentiveness, consider the viewpoints of their kids and provide justifications for guidelines and penalties, typically leaning towards supportive nurturing, rather than punitive. This method lets kids openly express their ideas and feelings while assisting them in learning self-control and responsibility; these parents also encourage independence, teaching their children that they are capable of accomplishing goals on their own as well. Because of this, kids will typically have greater levels of academic success, social competence, responsibility, and self-worth. They will also grow to be friendly, curious, achievement-oriented, and confident. Nevertheless, it is the most difficult parenting to achieve due to the effort needed from both parents and children. 
Children raised in a permissive environment are given great freedom, yet they frequently lack the structure needed for normal growth. These parents act more as a friend than an authority, which develops a loving and caring relationship but ultimately results in negative long-term effects. The child can decide their bedtime, if or when to do homework, and screen time. Freedom to this degree can lead to bad habits as they are never taught to moderate, and open opportunities to engage in harmful behavior, like drug and alcohol abuse. Permissive parents make an effort to control their child's environment to prevent feelings of failure or rejection, meaning they might enter adulthood unprepared. Growing up, they could find it challenging to comprehend acceptable behavior and have disputes in social and academic contexts if there is a lack of clear direction or limitations. Overall, children of this style are lazy, impulsive, rebellious, and quick to give up. 
Neglectful parenting may not always be a choice but rather forced by circumstance. In general, it is characterized by a lack of emotional connection, care, involvement, and even rules, with parents being detached from their kid’s lives. This causes children to become more resilient and develop skills of self-sufficiency, but only as it is a necessity. The psychological aftermath of neglect outweighs these skills and can be serious or conceivably dangerous, leading to troubles with controlling emotions and developing effective coping strategies; this could potentially lead to depression/hostile behavior. Neglected children tend to have low self-esteem and difficulty with maintaining social relationships, finding it hard to strive academically and communicate, especially when they’re older. 
“I tell parents that it’s OK for your kids to be mad at you and not like you because of the limit you set,” stated a pediatric social worker. “...But for many parents, the reason they don’t set limits is because they want to be liked”. Mulholland helps remind parents that there should be a healthy balance between prioritizing relationships and the use of strict structure within a family. Communication and age-appropriate standards are what lead to emotionally stable adults who can properly handle themselves and set goals to reach.  
In conclusion, parenting styles play a crucial role in shaping a child's development, however, it is important for parents to realize that it’s not as simple as a choice of which style, but rather a mix of learning, cooperation, and discipline. It is positive reinforcement that encourages desired behavior, more so than punishments. Yet too much friendliness can act as too much freedom for children to actively learn. For reasons like these, the best way for parents is to adapt to their children’s needs and strike a balance between setting clear expectations and boundaries while providing love, support, and open communication. This is the way parents can genuinely ensure healthy growth and promote positive outcomes for their children now and through adulthood.