Parenting Styles In I Am Sam

During the movie ‘I Am Sam’ we see two very different styles of parenting exhibited, by looking at Baumrind’s Parenting Styles we can see that both neglectful and authoritative styles were in effect. To determine what parenting style is used, Baumrind developed four classifications that parents tend to fall into when raising a child. A clear example of neglectful parenting during the movie is by the character Rita; we see Rita a lot throughout the ordeal that Sam is going through as she agrees to be his lawyer free of charge, however we also see that she has a son who always comes second to her busy working lifestyle. As the movie progresses it is unveiled that Rita has family problems as home being her failing marriage; her son seems to be in the middle of this and we see Sam interacting with her son when he goes to her house where is becomes clear that because Rita is so uninvolved with her child he stops seeing her as a person with authority and we see him wiping his hands on the white couch and playing on a scooter when he should be in bed. The second parenting style that we see during the …show more content…
According to Baumrinds Parenting Style she states that the Authoritative style is the most effective way to raise a child. Somebody who is a good parent will have a nurturing side which means that they will not shy away from emotions and affection, they will teach the child how to express themselves but also how to be respectful of others. Good parents do not focus on harsh punishments but rather teaching the child that its ok that they did something wrong but they mustn’t do it again and understand why the action was wrong. Children raised by authoritative often grow up to have a positive and very secure sense of themselves; they also have the ability to maintain healthy relationships with peers as both adults and