The neglectful parenting style features parents who are not involved in the lives of their kids. They are neither demanding nor responding to these kids and are usually emotionally unavailable. With very little guidance provided to these kids, they are left by themselves with no expectations required of them. Many times, the reason for this sort of parenting is that the parents are too absorbed by their own life challenges and are unable to look beyond those to even see the needs of their kids. They might even try to avoid the kids knowingly.

The products of this parenting style are socially inhibited kids who are more likely than others to engage in substance abuse. These kids might also be fearful about their absence of familial support structure and might respond to their family trauma by pushing away anyone who wants to get close to them.

It’s important to note that neglectful parenting (also known as uninvolved parenting) isn’t generally a conscious choice. It can happen when parents become too involved with their work and find little energy or time to focus on their kids. This can trigger a disconnect that hurts their relationship, where they become isolated from one another. Sometimes, this style develops when the parents have been raised by uninvolved parents themselves or go through mental health issues that prevent developing any kind of emotional attachment.

Signs of neglectful parents include the following:

·         Whether it’s work, a social life without the children, or other problems or interests, neglectful parents remain preoccupied with their own affairs – so much so they’re unresponsive to their kids’ needs and make little time for them. Everything else comes before the children, and in some instances, parents may outright reject or neglect their children.

·         For many people, an emotional attachment between the parent and the child occurs naturally. But in the case of neglectful parenting, this bond isn’t automatic or instinctual. The parents feel a disconnect that severely restricts the limit of nurturing and affection they extend to their kids.

·         Due to a lack of affection, neglectful parents aren’t interested in their kids’ school work, events, or activities. They may skip kids’ sports games or don’t show up for PTA meetings.

·         Neglectful parents typically lack a discipline style. Therefore, unless the kid’s behavior affects them, they don’t generally offer any type of correction. They allow the kids to act the way they want to. And they don’t get upset when their kids perform poorly in school or other activities.