In the best interests of children? The paradox of intensive parenting and children’s health

Abstract

The family environment and parental guidance are generally considered to be key drivers of children’s health behaviours. Parents, mostly mothers, have become a focal point of policies aimed at preventing children’s health and well-being problems (e.g. childhood obesity). The underlying intensive parenting ideology places significant pressure on parents (notably mothers), requiring them to spend a great deal of time, energy and money on their children’s health and well-being. Yet, the relationship between intensive parenting and children’s health might be paradoxical. While a clear positive relationship exists between parental childrearing styles and children’s physical health, the limited evidence in relation to psychological health suggests intensive parenting may negatively affect children’s wellbeing. Using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) we provide key insights into the relationship between parenting styles and children’s physical and psychological well-being. We analytically distinguish three types of parenting styles (intensive parenting, neglectful parenting, and ‘intermediate’ parenting), and compare children’s self-reported health, well-being and self-esteem by parenting style. The findings show that parenting styles may differentially affect children’s physical and psychological health in nuanced ways. Public health and social policy implications of the role of parenting in children’s health and wellbeing are discussed. The conceptualisation of parenting styles and the relationship with children’s health, however, requires further exploration, which we discuss in the conclusion.