Parenting is a challenging feat and requires lifetime commitment to reach the common goal of navigating the lives of children, ensuring a healthy and prosperous growth. However, in pursuit of such a goal for the future, parents often adopt a style of parenting that is excessively strict and authoritarian—described as establishing rigid rules and unrealistic expectations—producing multiple adverse outcomes in the mental and emotional upbringing of children across different cultures (Moore, 2022). While setting boundaries for children is a beneficial practice (VanderWier, 2024), being too controlling can lead to the deterioration of mental health, low self-esteem, and overall well-being of the child, demonstrating that in “tough love,” there will be consequences. 

A child’s mental health is an essential aspect of their health that is affected by their parents’ style of parenting. According to the study by Sanvictores & Mendez (2022), an authoritarian style imposes overly strict and inflexible parenting that drops immense pressure on the shoulders of children. With the demanding challenges of meeting the expectations of parents, children develop mental hardships and lapses through growth, which, by adolescence, raises the risk of depression. To specify, Li et al. (2023) discovered in Chinese culture, parents who inflict harsh styles of parenting through strict measures increase the chances of children adopting negative self-experiences such as low self-esteem and isolation, increasing the risk of depression.

In the development of children, nurturing relationships and discovering communities are vital to their growth as individuals. Maintaining relationships is essential for social integration and promotes mental and emotional well-being (Lavis, 2016). However, in cultures where excessively strict parenting is normalized, such as the Philippines (Jocson et al., 2012),  the children develop an anxious demeanor caused by living in stern and strict environments, leading to difficulty in socializing and communicating. Consequently, children suffer from the inability to express their thoughts, which disturbs their ability to sustain and gain relationships (Agnihotri, 2023). Additionally, Tanasugard (2023) discovered that adults from Western cultures who experienced achievement-driven, critical, and highly strict parenting in childhood tend to have an anxious relationship with their relationships, thus garnering a fear of abandonment and struggling with expressing vulnerability and trusting people their age.

While strict parenting can have its benefits, according to Moore, M. (2022), the long-term risks outweigh this more. As parenting can be the most demanding job, constructive parenting skills come naturally, making it even more difficult to be a better parent. In order for a child to develop into a well-rounded adult, parents must negotiate setting examples, punishment, and other responsibilities. This is where parenting techniques come to play. It suggests that there are four types of parenting: The Authoritarian style where it is typically intense and puts a strict set of rules on their child without any questioning. Authoritative parenting nurtures the child while simultaneously disciplines them, they usually make use of appropriate consequences, and not to punish them solely. The third type is the Permissive style, they tend to have minimal expectations of their children. They are nurturing yet often allow the kids to sort things out on their own. And lastly, the Uninvolved style, parents provide the children too much freedom and do not use any disciplinary measures. Among the four types, it appears that the Authoritative style happy the best outcome as it balances having a set of standards but still supporting the children when they fail to meet them. 

As stated by King, K. (2016), There is a large number of children having a depression-based parenting techniques, it varied considerably among males, females ages 12-17 years old. Specifically, those who have reported to have an Authoritarian parents. They were most likely to express depression episodes and symptoms than their peers who have reported to have an Authoritaritative parenting practices. This emphasize the great responsibility of parents and the positive parenting techniques and practices as this can greatly determine the future of each and every child. 

It is usual for a parent to want and protect their children's success and well-being, yet this comes with limitations. Children are vulnerable to maltreatment as much as they are capable of personifying love. To grow as disciplined individuals, parents must teach them to build boundaries and make room for freedom to discover the world themselves. Excessive control over their lives and expectations can have a negative impact on children's mental, emotional, and social well-being. Consequently, studies have shown that this is associated with an increased risk of depression, low self-esteem, and social difficulties. According to research, more balanced parental tactics, such as the authoritative style, can result in healthier and more beneficial outcomes for children. Finally, parents have an essential part to play in determining their children's future; it is just as vital for them to spend time researching the most effective parental techniques that will best suit their children and ensure that they grow into well-rounded, emotionally healthy individuals.

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