5 Reasons Disobedient Children Make Successful Adults

Next time you get stares in the grocery store because your child is..ahem…not behaving, don’t be embarrassed, be smug.  That defiant, spirited bundle of joy may be your future meal ticket. Research suggests these children are more likely to succeed later in life, at least financially.

The research, published in the journal Developmental Psychology, looked at data from 745 12-year-old children in Luxembourg from 1968, including teacher and child questionnaires and socioeconomic indicators, to how they were doing 40 years later in 2008.

Not shocking, “occupational success” (measured by prestige and socioeconomic status) was closely correlated with family wealth and IQ. But “rule-breaking and defiance of parental authority” was the best predictor of highest incomes.

Here are five possible reasons disobedient children make more money as adults:

1. They’re More Aggressive

More aggressive folks, tend to ask for what they want.  If they believe they deserve a raise, they will ask for it.

2. They’re Highly Competitive

The age-old notion of “nice guys finish last” may actually be true.  Defiant children also tend to be more competitive and therefore more willing to fight for what they want.  In this dog eat dog world it quite literally pays to be competitive.

3. They’re More Willing to Take Risks

It takes guts to risk it all and follow your dream.  Entrepreneurs tend to share a certain set of traits, including risk-taking, that make them successful. That same kid willing to scale walls and jump off the back of couches, might just be the next Zuckerberg.

4. They Learn The Hard Way

Refusing to accept the status quo, defiant kids challenge authority and try to find answers themselves, rather than accepting what they are told.  They might not always be right, but failure is a big part of success too.

5. Perseverance Has Perseverance

Spirited kids may learn how to talk their way into or out of precarious situations. They want what they want and will stop short of nothing to get it. This early learned skill of challenging, pleading, negotiating and bargaining may lead to some serious selling skills down the road.

 

Life, Money

About the Author
Kate Desmond
Kate is a freelance writer, mommy blogger, safe sleep crusader, and wannabe inventor in search of her next great idea. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and two little girls. They are the loves of her life, but also drive her to insanity. She writes about living on that brink on her blog, The Tiny Fashionista.

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