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Quote: from Kristen exohh at 12:22 pm on Oct. 2, 2008

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Quote: from GoodFairy13 at 4:19 pm on Oct. 2, 2008

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I think african people are more protective of their children because of the children that are so often dying in africa.  
  White parents don't understnad that emotion fully so they're more lenient?

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 Nor do most black people living in America.

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Wasn't using that example of black people.  

I see you noticed?

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Lol@me.

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Poor little tin man, still swinging his axe,
Even though his joints are clogged with rust.

Of the three main type of parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive), I have read studies (it was awhile go, though, so I don't have any on hand) that the parenting styles of whites tend to be authoritative while the parenting styles of blacks tend to be authoritarian.  Obviously there are exceptions, and putting labels on parenting styles can be rather iffy at best, but the general tendency would most likely hold true considering that the same people would be recording both races and would notice the general differences if they exist (in other words, getting specific doesn't work so well, but in general, you see something).

Authoritative essentially means rules are set and that the child is encouraged to discuss the rules and engage in open dialogue with the parents.  It can be strict (and at times it might not be), but it essentially tries to get the child to understand why the rule is in place.  This encourages independent thinking.

Authoritarian essentially means the parent says the rules are there just because.  No real effort at explaining why the rules are in place is given.

Whites have a higher tendency than blacks to fall under authoritative parenting styles, and blacks have a higher tendency than whites to fall under authoritarian styles according to studies I've read years ago.  One of the proposed reasons I remember for this tend be along the lines that whites in general hold higher level positions that require independent thinking which would encourage authoritative parenting whereas blacks tend to hold blue collar positions where questioning the workplace rules would only invite trouble.

I'd be a bit skeptical, though, because it seems to suggest that blacks are not independent thinkers, which I personally don't think is totally true, especially as you get to know blacks who do hold these jobs that would require independent thinking.  Supposedly a white collar middle class black family would engage in an authoritative parenting style as much as whites do if the proposed reason I remember were true, but I don't believe that to be the case.

Moreover, the entire idea of authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles is rather biased, I think.  The whole notion of it is set up to glorify the authoritative parenting style as the best.  The studies I've read also seem to suggest that authoritarian parenting styles is partially the reason why blacks are where they are collectively at in society today, which I don't think is entirely true, because I get the general sense that Asian families are every bit as authoritarian as black families.  Perhaps in a different way, though, but authoritarian does not necessarily equal bad and it would serve people well to bear that in mind.