Parenting journeys are different for every family, but despite the experience, every parent always reaches a point in which they wonder if they are doing a good job at raising their child, no matter the obstacle or situation they face throughout the years.
When it comes to the personality of your child, some behaviors could indicate different things. If a child starts to show an argumentative or opinionated behavior, many will label them as “difficult,” however, this personality change could be positive in the future.
© GettyImages“I think that the challenge is to not interpret that as a bad thing, but as an important and necessary process,” Emily Loeb, Psychologist at the University of Virginia explained to The New York Times. “It can manifest as kids being a bit more assertive and opinionated, and maybe even more argumentative,” she added, encouraging parents to keep an eye on their child’s behavior.
It’s also important that while it might be frustrating for parents, they should avoid suppressing their children’s opinions as it could affect their confidence in the future. “They end up struggling to think for themselves once they’re outside of the control of the home,” Loeb stated.
© GettyImagesNavigating this behavior can result in frustration, but parents should put an effort into having a positive conversation with their kids, without turning it into a negative experience for them.
“We really want our kids to know themselves and trust themselves and believe in themselves — and that all gets sacrificed if parents are the be-all, end-all rulers of everything,” Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, Clinical Psychologist said to The New York Times.
