Authoritarian Parenting - Taking it Too Far

            Imagine being in a department store and across the aisle stands a woman and her daughter. The daughter is screaming and throwing herself on the ground. Everyone around them is staring and taking note of the daughters awful behavior and that the mothers anger is obviously about to boil over. How can the little girl be taught that this type of behavior is unacceptable? Some would be compelled to take their child home and use force and strict punishment to discourage the behavior. The parent's strong demand for obedience by any means necessary is known as authoritarian parenting. The Authoritarian parenting style can be detrimental to a child's mental and physical health. .
             Authoritarian parenting is the most aggressive parenting style. It is not quite child abuse, but includes more physical consequences for the children. Effects on the child on a more physical level include possible bruising and cuts, and obesity on a more long term basis. On a mental level, children with authoritarian parents are more likely to get into crime and drugs. These are all a result of psychological stressors brought on by the parenting style. .
             The relationship between parent and child is a key deciding factor as to what path the child's life takes. Parents utilizing an authoritarian method set strong boundaries with their children. They make it clear to the child that they are the boss and are far from the child's friend. They establish very strict rules and have very strict consequences should the child break those rules. Because they establish such a strong authoritative foothold in the child's life, they don't interact with their child in a playful way. Many children with authoritarian parents lack a playful environment and therefore exercise less. There is also evidence to show that lack of parental love and positive interaction affects an important hormone. Mariam Stoppard has done extensive research on the effects authoritarian parenting has on the child and has found "that trauma in childhood can interfere with weight-regulating hormones" (par.