Uninvolved Parenting Style

By Stephen Walton © 2012

What is it?
and What are its Negative Effects?

The Uninvolved Parenting style (often referred to as neglectful parenting) as the name implies, the parent is totally disengaged and emotionally uninvolved in their child's life. There is little if any expression of love and affection.

Developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind in her studies based on the dimensions of "Parental Responsiveness" and "Parental Demandingness" conclude that:

The uninvolved parenting style is low in parental responsiveness (the nurturing aspect of the child) and low in parental demandingness (control over the child).

Often these parents provide only the basic needs of food and shelter.

Opportunity for sports, recreation and ordinary pleasures in life are too often non existent.

Routinely these parents are too busy or self-involved to support their child in school functions, teach life skills and encourage socially acceptable behaviour.

The child is generally expected to fend for themselves and destined to enrol in.......

"The School Of Hard Knocks".

Effects of the Uninvolved Parenting Style

All or perhaps a combination of these possible effects can emerge from this parenting style.

• Development of a sense of unimportance to the parent

• Become emotionally withdrawn from social situations

• Develop a sense of loneliness

• Show patterns of truancy in school

• Patterns of delinquency during adolescence

• Prone to develop fear, stress and anxiety disorders

• Develop a low self-esteem

• Lack self-control

• High chance of addiction to drugs and alcohol

• Often demonstrate defiance to authority figures such as, parents, teachers and other adults
  
  

Why Would a Parent Use
an Uninvolved Parenting Approach?

As sad as it is, there are many parents uninvolved in their children's lives.

Statistics show that region, cultural, education and socioeconomic status often play a role in this parenting style.

Some cases are hereditary, parents, themselves raised in a negative environment with no expression of love, guidance, support or positive communication are prone to modelling this parenting style.

Often you will see this style used unintentionally by materialistic parents so busy with their own lives, work or business, they just don't realize their lack of involvement in their child's life until it is too late.

Others, being immersed in their own negative lifestyle, often due to drug or alcohol addiction have little competence or desire to take responsibility for raising their children.

The Positive Parenting Centre's Perspective

Unfortunately in today's society there are far too many troubled and dysfunctional families and the reasons are plentiful.

We understand that unfortunate circumstances can foster temporary parental misguidance and empathy goes to those battling mental disorders or drug and alcohol addiction… however, parental responsibility must ultimately focus on the best interest of their child.

Parents too involved in work or business need to remind themselves how quickly the years pass, time is never recovered. It is important for parents to periodically prioritize their lives to stay focused on their family values.

Parents must be fully engaged in all aspects of their child's life.

It warrants repeating my statement from our home page:

Your Own Parenting Style

If you have not yet read our condensed definitions of the other parenting styles, we strongly suggest you read them prior to attempting to define your own parenting style.

The following the link options below will guide you in your journey

Go to:

" Authoritative Parenting Style"

"Permissive Parenting Style"

"Authoritarian Parenting Style"

Return To: "Types Of Parenting Styles" From: Uninvolved Parenting Style"

"The Positive Parenting Centre" Home Page

For references in the above article go to:

"Our Article Reference Page"

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