Having a Strong-Willed, Even Naughty Child Can Be Good.
We all want our children to listen to us and do what we say, but sometimes they are just stubborn and cocky. Some kids are more like them than others, and that might not be all bad.
Lauren Knight describes in The Washington Post what it means to raise a strong-willed child. Her son Oliver speaks openly when he disagrees with anything and is “the most stubborn and stubborn person [she] has ever met.” I laugh at her example of Oliver’s categorical refusal to ever get a haircut because my daughter is the same: she will never let me braid her hair, pull it back, cut her hair short, or do anything with it. She can be stubborn and outspoken where I am not in the mood for confrontation .
As tedious as raising a strong-willed child who sometimes disobeys you, this personality trait has advantages (at least for a child):
While there are many times when raising a strong-willed, sometimes naughty child is a difficult, exhausting endeavor, it turns out there are many benefits to a little disobedience or disobedience. Research shows that naughty childrenearn more as adults and are more likely to become entrepreneurs. It turns out that some pretty smart kids who challenge authority or challenge the status quo tend to think outside the box, which gives them a certain creative edge when it comes to new ideas and starting a business. Entrepreneurs don’t tend to play by the rules .
Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist at Columbia University, explains that strong-willed children (those described as energetic, stubborn, rebellious, and even brave) tend to be self-motivated and self-centered and often become leaders in adulthood. They are more immune to peer pressure and are more enthusiastic about getting what they want. They want to “learn something for themselves, not accept what others have to say, so they test the limits over and over again,” and this also applies to relationships. This discernment includes not only cutting a haircut, eating vegetables or a coat, but who they choose to trust, who they choose to follow, or who they allow to influence themselves.
I believe and hope this means that children with strong wills are also less susceptible to peer pressure and more likely to stand up for themselves and others. So parents, maybe sometimes we have to put up with this stubborn behavior and try not to suppress this spirit. Encourage obedience out of trust and let them do whatever they want with their hair.
Why is it good to have a strong-willed child and why it is worth giving it up | Washington Post