{"id":1843,"date":"2026-07-11T18:23:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T14:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drhamidyousefi.com\/managing-childrens-defiant-behavior\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T18:23:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T14:53:24","slug":"managing-childrens-defiant-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drhamidyousefi.com\/en\/managing-childrens-defiant-behavior\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Children’s Defiant Behavior"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three Common Parenting Mistakes That Make a Child’s Defiance Worse<\/strong><\/p>\n

When managing a child’s defiant behavior, there are three very common parenting mistakes that, according to developmental and behavioral psychology, unintentionally reinforce defiance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

These mistakes usually stem from good intentions, but they often produce the opposite effect.<\/p>\n

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1. Engaging in a Power Struggle<\/h2>\n

One of the most common mistakes is when a parent turns the situation into a battle of wills<\/strong> with the child.<\/p>\n

A common example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Child:<\/strong> “I don’t want to go to bed!”<\/p>\n

Parent:<\/strong> “You have to go to bed, no matter what!”<\/p>\n

At this point, bedtime is no longer the child’s main concern.<\/p>\n

Instead, winning the struggle<\/strong> becomes the goal.<\/p>\n

From a developmental psychology perspective, children in this situation are trying to protect their sense of autonomy<\/strong>. The more direct pressure they feel, the stronger their resistance becomes.<\/p>\n

A Better Approach<\/h3>\n