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Research Proves Nagging Moms Raise More Successful Daughters (But Your Mom Already Knew That, Obv)
Just in case you needed more evidence that your mom really does know best, research has found that daughters with nagging mothers grow up to be more successful. In other words, all those times she bothered you about your homework, cleaning your room, ironing your clothes, and literally everything else possible, she was only guaranteeing that you have a more successful life!
Research that came out of the University of Essex examined the lives of 15,000 teenage girls (between the ages of 13 and 14) from the year 2004 until 2010; they found that parental expectations played a major role in the child’s success into adulthood — noting that the expectation of the primary parent (usually the mother) was especially influential. The girls who had higher standards from their parents were more likely to go to college and earn higher wages after graduation, and less likely to become teenage mothers.
“What our parents expected about our school choices was, very likely, a major determinant of our decisions about conceviving a child or not during our teenage years,” researcher Ericka Rascon-Ramirez explained. “The measure of expectation in this study reflects a combination of aspirations and beliefs about the likelihood of attending higher education reported by the main parent, who, in most cases, is the mother.”
You hear that moms? You were totally right all along — despite us kicking our feet and doubting you! And somehow, your influence worked even when we tried to go against you. Rascon-Ramirez continued, “No matter how hard we tried to avoid our parents’ recommendations, it is likely that they ended up influencing, in a more subtle manner, choices that we had considered extremely personal.”
If you’re doing pretty well in life right now — and you’re happy with your salary and education, now would probably be a good time to thank your mama. And if you are a teenage girl — and you feel like your mom is ruining your life — remember this will all work out in the end!
