If you like to 顶嘴 when you were a kid, then you’ll love this study

Last Updated on 2016-09-25 , 10:20 am

Most Asian parents seem to be wary of kids who talk back to them, seeing it as a form of defiance and rebellion.

It’s just the Chinese tradition to think that the children are trying to pick a fight with them when they rebut with their own opinions. However, you will be surprised to know that there are a lot of positive aspects regarding this so-called “rebellion”!

A German psychologist has even claimed that talking back is a necessary step for kids to make their foray towards adulthood.

Firstly, the kids can find out their limits. By talking back to parents, they are discovering social boundaries and limits – which helps them to assimilate more easily by knowing acceptable behaviour.

They can also formulate their own opinions. When they win the arguments, they have a sense of achievement and through this, they are able to grow independently in terms of thinking.

Talking back means that there is a conflict. Kids who often rebut their parents are introduced to argument and conflicts, which will be ever-present in their daily lives. This helps them to build anger-management and conflict-resolution skills.

Furthermore, they also tend to be much more confident. By practising their argumentative skills from young, they develop critical thinking skills. This also helps to improve their intelligence as they often search for answers on their own in order to build a convincing argument. Their logical thinking skills are often honed, helping them to raise their IQ levels (which is what all kiasu Singaporean parents want, right?).

They are also able to express themselves more clearly, again helping them to be independent and build communication capabilities.

So, parents, think twice before you ground your kids without reason, simply just because they think differently from you!

Top Image: Ampyang / Shutterstock.com