Parenting styles differ from family to family, and may even vary from day to day within one family. All parents make decisions for their children that may be more strict or more indulgent on occasion. For the most part, however, the way that one parents falls into one of three general parenting methods.

A parent is bound to become angry now and again, but situations that expose a child to constant anger from a parent, especially a father, may have serious repercussions for childhood development, according to CompassionPower.com.

Many parents struggle with the question of whether to stay at home with their children or place them in daycare while they work. There are many on both sides of the fence when it comes to judging which situation is in the best interest of the children.

Loss of a grandparent is often one of the first experiences children have with death of a family member. Some may already be familiar with the concept due to loss of a pet, while others may be totally unprepared when their grandmother dies.

Parents can and should discipline their children. It is a parent's job to teach their children about expectations, rules, morals and values. Children need to be given consistent discipline to be taught right from wrong, to be kept safe and to learn what they can and cannot do. "

When discussing puberty with your daughter, be open and direct with her about the new changes she will soon experience. Encourage her to come to you with any questions or concerns she has.

Parents from around the world have universal feelings of love, affection and hope for their children, but cultural values and expectations can color how these emotions are communicated.

Humans interact with their children in a variety of ways. Authoritarian parents tend to lay down the law and mete out harsh punishments, while permissive parents set few or no limits. The authoritative parenting style, in which parents are warm, loving and still set definite limits, seems to be the most effective.

Even with the rise in single-parent families, most children still live in two-parent households. Depending on the state, anywhere from 53 to 79 percent lived with two parents in 2011, according to the national KIDS COUNT program.

Parents tend to underestimate the influence that they have on their children, according to a 2007 study that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation conducted. In 2011, the UK’s Department for Education found that children who are exposed to bad parenting are two times more likely to misbehave.

Parental expectations help nurture your child's sense of self-esteem and encourage healthy development. When expectations are set unrealistically high -- or, on the other hand, ridiculously low -- children's personalities and sense of self-worth are negatively affected.

Even your older preteen can dread shots just as much as a toddler or preschooler. No matter how old your child gets, shots still hurt. If your preteen has an upcoming appointment to receive immunizations or another type of shot, you can help ease his fears as well as lessen the pain associated with the needle prick.