good news!

good news! i AM doing something right...

When your 1-year-old shouts "No!" and throws her spoonful of cereal on the floor, take her act of rebellion as a sign you're doing something right, says Theodore Dix, a developmental psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin. His research has found that defiance between ages 1 and 2 is linked to positive parenting strategies, like giving children some autonomy and being sensitive to their needs. Early defiance even appears to correlate with high scores on cognitive tests. That may be because when young children feel very secure, they're more willing to test the limits and explore the ways the world works, he adds. "I like to think of it as these kids becoming empowered." (Baby Talk, June 2008)