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Hindustan Times

Smarter but sadder children? Study reveals a parenting style that comes with risky trade-off

Without a shadow of doubt, parenting style influences a child's development, and in the long run, childhood shapes their personality and worldview. There can be lasting impacts on a child's development based on how parents guide them. A study published in Economics and Human Biology identified a parenting technique that may come across as productive for the child but comes with dangerous drawbacks that may hurt the child's development. The researchers identified a strict parenting style called the 'tiger mom' approach. This style involves high academic expectations and pushing children to excel among their peers and in school. They examined data from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies, a large survey covering families across the country. The study assessed parents' decision-making power in their child's education. As per the researchers, nearly half of the mothers took charge of academic choices. Moreover, teens who scored higher on tests assessing memory and math skills indicated greater maternal involvement. This could suggest that the extra time mothers spend helping and supervising their children's studies. With this type of parenting style, a child's cognitive performance and academic skills tend to sharpen, making them do better at school. But this tiger mom parenting style comes with potential downsides. While academic skills improve and teens perform well on tests, their emotional and social skills often remain underdeveloped, as these areas are not adequately nurtured. Moreover, with such a strong emphasis on studying, children raised under this strict parenting style are rarely encouraged to engage in leisure or social activities, as academic achievement becomes the main priority. They miss out on a lot of things kids their age do, like hanging out with friends or enjoying leisure time. As a result, emotional intelligence takes a hit because there is little room for self-expression, creativity, or mingling with others. Low social skills in the long run may create challenges, especially when navigating relationships in adulthood. ALSO READ: Strict parenting: Study says disciplining kids with harsh punishments reveals the truth about your romantic relationship Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice.