de•fi•ant (de,dnt) adj. The behavior or attitude of opposition
or obstinacy; unwilling to yield. Today, parents often struggle
on their own to cope with the myriad issues that were usually
absorbed, managed, and healed by a larger family unit in the
past. Kids left to fend for themselves, or who bounce from one
adult's care to another, or whose extended families are
scattered around the country, are more likely to encounter tough
emotional issues, and have fewer adults ready to help them cope.
Defiant behavior is one of these issues, so if your child is
aggressively or passively defying your attempts to help him
develop into a healthy, caring adult with skills for academic,
professional, and interpersonal success, chances are you're
feeling burned out, frustrated, and alone, even if you have an
actively involved partner. That's the hard part about living in
the twenty-first century. But there's a silver lining — keep
reading. There is more to being an effective parent and solving
this problem than trying hard