A recent study would indicate that every TV/movie dad from before the mid 1980s had the right idea. What are you doing that's turning your kids into unbearable little d-bags? Find out here.

A new study from Ohio State University communications and psychology professor Brad Bushman has unveiled a startling cause behind narcissism and inflated self-esteem in children -- us. Turns out that when you praise your kid too much, you may be fueling their ego to the point where they think they're better than others and they become entitled or, to put it frankly, they become a-holes.

Bushman's study evaluated 565 children, ages 7-12, and their parents on multiple occasions over the course of a year and a half. Their findings indicated strongly that there was a direct link between parental overvaluation and narcissism in children, not by lack of parental warmth. In other words, high-fiving your kids over pedestrian tasks too much is way more detrimental to their personality than practicing "tough love."

The results of the study aren't really a big leap in reasoning or a ground-breaking revelation. Obviously, if someone that's young and impressionable hears constantly that their poo smells like daffodils and they're perfect little angels -- they'll either develop an inflated sense of self-worth or a messiah complex. What is surprising is how subtle differences in the way you praise your child can make all the difference.

For instance, the study suggests that simply replacing praise like "you're so smart" with "you worked very hard on this" could be all it takes. If you give them praise based on virtues that must be earned (hard work, patience, determination, etc.) as oppose to naturally occurring traits (beauty, intelligence, athletic ability, etc.) -- the chances that your child will grow up to be one of these dips---s with 400 pictures of themselves in their phone will be smaller.

Get out there and parent responsibly!

[Additional Source: NPR]

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