Positive parenting can be defined as putting more attention on a child’s positive aspects, such as their strengths and achievements, rather than on any potential negatives, like failures or weaknesses. Positive parenting uses principles of positive psychology to assist parents in developing solid, warm, and trusting relationships with their children. Positive parenting is different from dismissive parenting in that it utilizes boundary-setting and still involves the use of consequences for behaviors that break set boundaries. It also allows parents to set working expectations while maintaining a loving bond with their children.

Positive parenting has also been shown to have positive effects on children’s cognitive development because of how it takes children’s feelings, emotions, and responsivity into consideration through the use of positive modeling of behaviors. Recent research has shown that positive parenting helps improve cognitive skills such as mental abilities, language, and literacy skills. Overall, positive parenting puts emphasis on a child’s positive qualities and may promote cognitive development in children all the while providing them with a warm and accepting connection to their parents.

Kylie Robinshaw

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

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