Enduring a toddler tantrum, or butting heads with a tween or teenager, is not fun for anyone involved.
But the next time you’re caught in the vortex of such a situation, despairing for the future of your ‘challenging’ offspring, we’ve got some news you may want to keep in mind.
A recent study, published in Developmental Psychology, found that the children who were outspoken in their views (a.k.a. defiant) went on to enjoy success later in life.
Which may just making all the yelling, threats, tears, shouting, bribes and hair-tearing (did we miss anything?) worth it.
Holly Wainwright explains parental equality. Post continues after.
The researchers said the 40 year old study “was designed to examine how student characteristics and behaviours in late childhood predict career success in adulthood.”
They collected data from children at age 12, considering factors such as family circumstances and status, their intelligence, and performance and behaviour at school.
Then they looked at the same 745 participants at age 52, and examined their occupational success and income so they could determine how their childhoods had influenced them.