No two parents treat their children alike. That said, there is no surprise that there are a ton of different parenting styles. People entering parenthood often do not know exactly how they’ll raise their children. Sometimes, a parenting style evolves on its own and falls into four main categories: authoritarian, permissive, authoritative as well and uninvolved.
Among the four, it’s worth noting that uninvolved parenting is the newest but proves to be an interesting style that involves a lot less hand-holding compared to other parenting styles. The disadvantage of uninvolved parenting is children don’t develop an emotional connection with their uninvolved parent. There is a lack of affection and attention at a young age, leading to low self-esteem or emotional neediness.
Uninvolved parenting affects children
What is essential to mind is that Children require love, attention, and encouragement, and in this regard, uninvolved parenting can negatively affect a child. Kids with uninvolved parents tend to learn self-reliance and take care of their basic needs at an early age. But again it comes with drawbacks that outweigh the good. Uninvolved parenting doesn’t allow children to develop an emotional connection with their uninvolved parent.
Lack of affection and attention leads to low self-esteem and even affects a child’s social skills. Children of uninvolved parents face difficulties with social interactions outside the home. This happens for the reason that the uninvolved parents rarely communicate or engage their children. Neglectful parents often experience more challenges regardless of their geographical location. Children of uninvolved parents usually present a lack of coping skills.
Children raised by authoritative and permissive parents experience more homesickness than the ones that have authoritarian and uninvolved parents. Yet it is worth noting that the two former groups feel more homesick but also have stronger coping skills.
Authoritarian and uninvolved parents expose children to less homesickness, but usually, in this case, children have a harder time coping with their feelings. Raising children in a loving and nurturing environment affects young people to adjust to life when they are no longer staying at home.
A child who grows up with an emotional detachment from their parents repeats this parenting style with their kids. Also, there’s a high chance that they will have the same poor relationship with their children.
Why do some people use uninvolved parenting methods?
Uninvolved parenting isn’t usually a conscious choice but comes about for different reasons. Uninvolved parenting usually happens when a parent becomes too involved with work with little to no time or energy to focus on the child. Such an attitude cause disconnection that strains relationships, becoming alienated from one another.
Uninvolved parenting style develops when a person has experienced this kind of attitude from neglectful parents themselves. Also, this kind of parenting style is common among parents who deal with mental health issues, preventing the forming of any type of emotional attachment. Parents in this regard may also have difficulty bonding with their spouse as well as other family members and friends.
Regardless of underlying reasons, changing a parenting style is possible when you notice characteristics of uninvolved parenting. Seeking counseling to deal with any mental health problems, past abuse, or other issues is one of the major ways to fix this issue. Establishing an emotional bond with the child will be easier after that. However, in all of this be careful about the fact that it isn’t something that will happen overnight.
Healing from an uninvolved parent
When uninvolved parents have raised you you’ll likely face concerns as to heal from the damage. Being aware of how the parenting style may have impacted you is going to be a point of consideration. Looking to make some changes serves as a vital first step. Recovery is only possible when you choose to recognize the negative parenting behaviors you experienced. Also, you’ll have to consider how you’ve internalized them and reflect on how they’ve impacted your life. Also, in all of this, there must be the importance of learning new and alternative ways of parenting to optimize a healthy parent-child relationship.
Healing from uninvolved parenting requires professional therapy as well, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of in this. Note that psychotherapy is a great way to learn social skills, learn self-love, and increase self-confidence. Therapy will help you build more trusting interpersonal relationships and develop healthy attachment skills. Sometimes, learning these skills proves tough when you have witnessed for yourself the treatment.
As a parent yourself, consider enrolling in parenting classes that can help develop new skills.
Examples of Uninvolved Parenting
Uninvolved parents usually possess little emotional involvement with kids. Uninvolved parents provide for basic needs, including food and shelter, but after that, they stay uninvolved in their children’s lives. Examples of the uninvolved parenting style include expecting their children to care for themselves, ignoring children when they are upset or crying, failing to provide adequate supervision for a child as well as not respecting a child’s interests.
Uninvolved parents tend to be downright neglectful or even reject their children. Kids get the bare minimum they need for survival, including shelter, nourishment, and clothing, yet nothing in the way of affection.
Causes that lead to uninvolved parenting
It is important to note that uninvolved parenting is often not intentional, but there are chances that it arises for a number of different reasons, including things like parental experience and stress. Parents who exhibit an uninvolved parenting style are the ones who uninvolved and dismissive parents have raised.
Final say – Approach that can fix the issue
If you’re interested in developing a bond with your child, you should consider the value of the desire a great first step. You should invest time and effort in thinking about a way to add healthy nurturing to your family dynamic. With that, it will be easier for you to walk on the way to becoming the right parent your child needs.
