Study Says Michigan Parents Are Becoming Stricter

There are a number of parenting styles, but there are four main styles that encompass a broad base for how parents raise their children: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful.

Despite how they may sound, there are positives and negatives to each style, though it largely depends on the reception of the style by the child. Many parents take from more than one style based on several factors including how their own parents raised them, how their children respond and the characteristics of the community and environment around them.

Narrowing down to how parents in Michigan are choosing to raise their children, there appears to be a trend in the Mitten State.

The website Test Prep Insight conducted a study of parents in all 50 states to see which states are becoming more authoritative in their parenting styles.

Despite the prevailing belief that millennial parents, who naturally are raising the teenage Gen Z and Gen Alpha, have a softer parenting approach, the study showed that 49% of parents are taking a more authoritarian approach. Even notably liberal-leaning states, such as California, Washington and New York are near or above that percentage themselves.

Authoritarian parenting is seen as traditionally strict parenting, though the negative connotations often revolve around exceptionally high expectations placed on children with rules to ensure the child meets those expectations. Unfortunately, those rules can come with a lack of explanation, reasoning or communication.

Still, there are some positives to wanting your child to live a productive life and keeping them on the proverbial "straight and narrow" by limiting access to certain activities that could get in the way of goals.

Done correctly, authoritarian parents can instill a strong work ethic in children who are naturally goal-oriented and success-driven. Done poorly, and authoritarian parents can burn out their children and make them feel as though they can never be good enough or that rules are too burdensome.

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The study concluded that 54% of Michigan parents are becoming more authoritative in their approach.

Test Prep Insight said the insistence on authoritarian parenting comes from "a growing percentage of parents prefer regimented activities and punitive measures to gear their children towards higher academic achievement."

Of course, in Michigan crime rates are high. Even still, there is a wealth of opportunities for higher education and/or trade work in the Mitten State. Understandably, Michigan parents would like to ensure their children become productive citizens in the state instead of adding to the negative statistics.