Administrative parenting, also referred to as supervised parenting, is a Zhouranese form of authoritative parenting. Influenced by the traditional Zhouranese child-centered practice that holds high expectations of maturity, self-reliance, responsibility and meritocracy, the term originated in early 1972. Administrative parenting is the result of high parental responsiveness and high parental demands.
Characterized by a child-centered approach, administrative parents can understand the feelings of their children and teach them how to rationally manage their feelings. While holding a high expectation of maturity, an administrative parent would generally forgive any possible shortcomings. Parents would often assist their children to utilize reasoning and work independently, and encourage children to be independent but still place limits on their actions.
Administrative parents generally try to be warm and nurturing toward their children and allow them to explore more freely, thus having the children make their own decisions based upon their own reasoning. As a result, children become independent and self-reliant.
An administrative parent would set clear standards for their children in a rational issue-oriented manner, monitor the limits that they set, and assist children in developing autonomy, mature age-appropriate independent behavior, autonomous self-will and disciplined conformity. Punishments for misbehavior are measured and consistent but not arbitrary or violent. In order to allow the child to see how their behavior is inappropriate and not to be repeated, the natural consequences of the child's actions are explored and discussed. When punishing a child, the parents will explain their motive for their punishment. Because children see their punishment as reasonable and fair, they will generally respond to administrative parenting punishment. A child would know why their punishment is legitimate since an administrative parent would make the reasons known. Therefore, children tend to be successful, well liked by those around them, generous and capable of self-determination.
Child Qualities
- lively and happy disposition
- self-confident about ability to master tasks
- well developed emotion regulation
- developed social skills
Thanks to this form of parenting, Zhouranese children experience exceptionally high academic achievements like with Oriental children, but at the same time experience higher happiness in life and lower chance of suicide and depression. Zhouranese-Style Administrative Parenting has significantly influenced the Zhouranese stereotype of efficiency, discipline, merit, self-reliance and honor.