17 Unusual Parenting Styles

One of the hardest things about parenting is that there is no single right way to do things; for example, Nadya Suleman's choice to have octuplets through in vitro fertilization is a controversial but technically legal choice. There are basic tenets of parenting upheld by law enforcement and school districts, but beyond that, parents are up to themselves to raise their kids right.

These controversial parenting styles are examples of some innovative ways to raise a child--for better and for worse. There are high-tech breast pumps for working moms who opt not to use formula, as well as monitoring software for parents to keep tabs on their mobile teens. On the other end of the spectrum, there's also the celebrity status Suleman is trying to achieve after the birth of her octuplets, as well as the disturbing phenomenon of pregorexia.

Whether your plan is to have a football team-sized family like Nadya Suleman's octuplets or just one child, these examples of unusual parenting styles should help solidify your position on your own preferred philosophy on child rearing.