He is in time out for many reasons which include (but are not limited to), talking back to me, not following directions, yelling and breaking household rules. He may or may not also be in time out because I need a short break from him, as he is having a bad day and driving me crazy and I don't want to yell. Mandatory separation seemed like the safest course of action at this point.
But here's the thing: He's just having a bad day. My son (and I know how lucky I am) is generally really well behaved and super sweet and listens about as well as any six-year-old can be expected to listen. In other words, I am not raising a rebel.
Although I am thankful for that now, a recent study tells me that rebellious children tend to earn higher salaries later on in life. There is some speculation as to why this is true, but the generally accepted thinking is because rebels will be more willing to negotiate themselves higher incomes.
I don't want to encourage my son's rebel side just so he has a better salary later on in life. So hopefully, I can find a way to teach my son how to negotiate without becoming a huge pain in my neck in the process. I already know he has some negotiation skills already. (Can't I have just one more cookie? Mommy, you look so pretty, I just want to play board games with you all day. If I sweep the kitchen, I think I should get at least two quarters.)
In the meantime, for any parents out there who are raising a rebel - there is hope that all that defiance will come in handy one day, and I will be sending out positive vibes your way so that you don't have a mental breakdown. I'll be sending them to you from my room, of course, where I am also in time out.
Is your child a master negotiator or a full-blown rebel? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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