Parenting: According to psychologists, stubborn children are more successful as adults

Created: 07/08/2022, 09:00

Defiant children can be torture for parents.

In old age, however, this gives them a major professional advantage, as psychological studies have found.

The defiant phase in childhood is a pleasant time for few parents.

The child simply doesn't want to listen, doesn't do what it's supposed to and thus makes many situations more complicated than they might be from the parents' point of view.

However, it is precisely these children that mom and dad have the least to worry about in adulthood.

Similar to the children of helicopter parents, who later could be more successful than others, despite their parents' controversial parenting style.

Anyone who is stubborn as a child will remain so in a certain way later and can assert themselves and assert themselves better with their stubbornness in everyday life and in the professional world.

Studies have shown that stubborn children are more successful and wealthy as adults.

Parenting: According to psychologists, stubborn children are more successful as adults

Anyone who is stubborn as a child will remain so in a certain way later and can assert themselves and assert themselves better with their stubbornness in everyday life and in the professional world.

(Iconic image) © Annie Hall/IMAGO

The study, first presented in late 2015 in the Journal of Developmental Psychology, was a long project.

As early as 1968, the first survey of the 745 test subjects, who were around 12 in their teens at the time, took place.

In another survey 40 years later, namely in 2008, the development of the meanwhile 52-year-old subjects was analyzed.

Among other things, the psychologists and behavioral scientists wanted to find out to what extent external factors such as the status of the parents and internal factors such as behavioral patterns or characteristics of children influence career opportunities in adulthood.

For example, intelligence, perception, attentiveness, sense of responsibility, the feeling of inferiority, impatience or pessimism were tested.

In adulthood, it was then recorded what job status the test subjects had and what their income was.

You can find even more exciting health topics in the free 24vita newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

The result of the study: Despite children successful, adapted children remain adapted adults

The result of the study is encouraging for parents of defiant children, because there will come a time when the child's strong will will be an advantage.

Statistically, according to the study, people who were rebellious as children and defied their parents more often were more successful as adults.

They had better jobs, were high achievers in education and earned more money on average.

In addition, according to the researchers, strong character and will were more decisive for this success than, for example, the status of the parents or the IQ of the children.

The reason for this is simpler than you might think: According to the research, stubborn children are driven by their personal goals rather than expectations and do what they think is right from an early age.

Therefore, they have a stronger assertiveness later in adult life.

Children who often give in or conform out of fear of difficulty are likely to exhibit the same behavior later in their careers.

So it can happen that an adapted yes-saying blocks one's chances of advancement or that one is more satisfied with things than a typical defiant would be.

Tips for parents: This is the best way to deal with stubborn children

For parents whose child likes to discuss, it is important to encourage the no phase in development.

It is not advisable to always let the child have its own way, because then it will never get the feeling for rules that even successful adults have to follow later.

However, the strong-willed offspring should not be completely deprived of their strong character just so that it is more pleasant for the parents.

Instead, stubborn children should be allowed to express themselves and try out their own wishes and rules to a certain extent.

An example: If your child absolutely does not want to join the football club - although all siblings already play football and the whole family is very involved in the club - but instead would rather learn the cello or attend a painting course, then let them do it.

A child who can experiment for himself early on will find out what he likes and doesn't like, and then in adulthood will be more determined in his determination to succeed.

So-called panda parents proceed in a similar way:

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication.

In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor.

Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.