Parenting strategies and the well-being of children and parents

Abstract

This paper presents the main variables associated with positive parenting, the effects of parenting styles on children's development, the importance of positive discipline, the role of parental stress in children's development, and ways to intervene to increase family mental health. Parenting is influenced by individual characteristics of parents and children (personality of parents, their cognitive and behavioral predispositions, child characteristics), characteristics of the relationship between parents (conflicts, quality of couple relationship, co-parenting, dyadic coping, mutual support) and contextual factors (financial stress, stress at work). Chronic stress and emotional problems of parents (depression, anxiety) increase the vulnerability for different types of addictions in parents and children (food addiction, alcohol and substance addiction, Internet addiction) and influence the well-being of the family. Education and counseling programs can help families cope with difficult situations and prevent the development of children's socio-emotional problems and various types of long-term addictions.