What kind of parent are you? - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

We all know how hard it is to raise kids, and finding a balance between letting them grow and learn, and disciplining them can be a fine line. The way we parent has a huge impact on child development and the adults they become. This week on Sunrise we want to help you see how your parenting affects your kids.

Community Health Network Psychologist Beth Buckingham spoke to Eyewitness News about how knowing your parenting style can help the whole family.

"I think it can be helpful in sense of, okay, as a parent we know we are going to make a lot of mistakes, and we are not set in any black or white category. It's as if you are driving down the road and you are holding a steering wheel you are not going to hold it straight you are going to bend and give with the road and that's true in raising a child," said Buckingham.

So what kind of parent are you?

• The Drill Sergeant: when children are expected to follow strict rules. No questions asked, and a parent might explain the reasoning with "because I said so."
  
  
• The Consultant: Like the drill sergeant, in that they set firm rules. However, this parenting style is much more democratic. Consultant parents are willing to listen to questions. When children fail to meet the expectations, these parents are more nurturing and forgiving rather than punishing.
  
  
• The Pushover: Sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, have very few demands to make of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control, often taking on the status of a friend more than parent.
  
  
• The Helicopter Parent: Helicopter Parenting describes parents who hover over their children and become too involved in their lives, including interfering in college or career decisions later in life.

Buckingham said the bottom line is that parents need to ask themselves, what is your overreaching value and how do you want your child to respond and be as an adult. If you step back and realize you don't like parts of your parenting style - simply adjust them to reach the goals you set.

All week on Sunrise, we'll look at how your style is molding your children into the adult they will become. If you want to take a test to determine your style, click here.

If you have a question for our expert, send them to Julia Moffitt's Facebook page. We will be answering those questions later in the week.