Final answer:
Option c) The parent is more like the child's friend and believes the child will learn from their own mistakes, best describes the permissive parenting style. This style involves minimal demands and discipline, nurturing a sense of freedom but often leading to a lack of self-discipline and higher risks of engaging in problematic behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Which of the following best describes the permissive parenting style? Among the options provided, option c) The parent is more like the child's friend and believes the child will learn better from his or her own mistakes, accurately encapsulates the essence of permissive parenting style. Permissive parents make few demands and rarely use punishment. They are often nurturing and loving, tending to adopt a friend role more than a parental figure. They may allow children to set their own bedtime rules, for instance, indicating a high level of freedom. Children raised by permissive parents may demonstrate higher self-esteem, social skills, and report lower levels of depression. However, they tend to lack self-discipline, which is negatively associated with academic performance, and they might exhibit risky behaviors due to the lack of structure and boundaries in their upbringing.