Your Stubborn, Strong-Willed Kid Is More Likely To Be Successful

Keep Reading ↓

Do you have a stubborn child? If the answer is yes then listen up because this might be of interest to you.

The American Psychological Association carried out a study in 2015 and their findings are very interesting for anyone with a stubborn child, or a child who likes to do things their own way.

Stubborn children who defy authority are more likely to become academic overachievers and high-earning adults, according to the study.

While this may be good in the long run, it certainly doesn’t help the parents who are tearing their hair out over misbehaving and strong-willed children.

The study was carried out on children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old, and they were evaluated for different personality traits including entitlement, academic conscientiousness and the one most people would find most important, rule-breaking and defiance of parental authority.

Fast forward forty years, the researchers assessed the same children who are now well into adulthood, to see how they had progressed. It turns out rule-breaking and defiance of parental authority turned out to be the best non-cognitive predictor of high income as an adult.

The study is slightly vague, in so far as it doesn’t explain why there is a strong correlation between rule-breaking kids and them having a high-income in adulthood. However, it explains the various factors that may contribute to such findings.

Researchers suggest that these children might be competitive in school which would lead to gaining better grades. As regards to financial stability as adults, they might be more demanding and thus more willing to fight for their own financial interests.

Of course, there is a whole lot more to how a child’s life will pan out other than what is provided in the study. The study doesn’t account for career paths or any other choices that would affect their income. But it is just to show that personality traits are seen to be better predictors of success than say a child’s IQ.

According to professional therapists, strong-willed kids have strong gut reactions that they’ll battle for even when it’s illogical, as reported in Time.

“Therapists say it’s true that strong-willed kids are more willing to do what’s right, rather than what their friends are doing. If parents can motivate them and turn their drive to doing well at school or a real purpose, these kids can make motivated leaders who will do the right thing even if they have to do it solo,” writes Donna Gorman for Time.

Regardless of these findings, I think it is fair to say that every parent’s main priority is that their children are healthy and happy. Parents strive to give their children the best they possibly can. Help, encouragement and some steady discipline are sure to go a long way towards moulding your children into a successful adult. No matter what path in life they chose.

So even though it may be frustrating now as a parent, if this study is anything to go by, your child may well be on the way to global domination. Hang in there; your children will be looking after you one day.