If you're raising kids and have questioned whether you're doing a good job, you're not alone.
Experts say there seems to be a general shift in how kids behave from preceding generations.
They also say that a "difficult" or argumentative nature of a child may indicate something positive about who they are and who they might become.
"It can manifest as kids being a bit more assertive and opinionated, and maybe even more argumentative... and 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, via 'The New York Times'.
Parents who feel embarrassed or frustrated about how their kids express themselves may give in to a
domineering or psychologically controlling impulse.
Experts say these strategies can do more harm than the short-term "good."
"The science says that over time, fearing your parents makes you less confident in yourself and more in need of external validation." Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, Clinical Psychologist, via 'The New York Times'
"[It’s] a kind of control where you’re asking your kid to think the same way that you do or to feel the same way you do. They end up struggling to think for themselves once they’re outside of the control of the home." Emily Loeb, Psychologist at the University of Virginia, via 'The New York Times'
Generally, development exerts say that supporting a child's need and desire to define themselves goes a long way.
While it can be tricky to navigate the necessary discipline a child will likely need with the support they certainly need.
"... experts say the struggle and effort to maintain that fine line is worth it for everyone involved.
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, via 'The New York Times'