Organizational psychologist Sunita Sah wants parents everywhere to understand that a defiant child isn’t always a bad kid.
Parents who want their children to grow up to be confident and assertive adults shouldn’t necessarily encourage total obedience, Sah told the “Good Inside” podcast, in an episode that aired on Nov. 11. “Sometimes, it is bad to be so good, [and] there are situations you want people to be speaking up,” said Sah, a professor of management and organizations at Cornell University. She authored the book, “Defy: The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes,” which published on Jan. 14.
Parents typically over-train their kids to be compliant and respectful, which makes the job of parenting a bit easier, Sah said. However, if parents aren’t also training their children how to “practice” defiance in warranted situations, those kids will likely find it “awkward [and] uncomfortable” to stand their ground and assert themselves when they’re older, Sah said.
Children who don’t learn and practice self-advocacy are less likely to develop the self-esteem they need to grow into confident, assertive adults who aren’t afraid to speak up to get what they need, author and certified conscious parenting coach Reem Raouda told CNBC Make It in November.
