Scared your child is a narcissist? Expert reveals 3 ways to keep an entitled ego in check — before it’s too late

Nypost · May 19, 2026 · 758 words · By Reda Wigle

Child Development Parenting Strategies Mental Health/Narcissism

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What to know about Child Development

Expert reveals 3 ways to keep an entitled ego in check — before it’s too late See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 6

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center88%

Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Expert reveals 3 ways to keep an entitled ego in check — before it’s too late See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on GoogleAre you unwittingly creating a monster?

Common ground

An expert has shared three key ways you can reduce the likelihood of your child turning into a narcissist, a term typically applied to someone whose sense of self hinges on being seen as superior, special or entitled.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Child Development story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Jalali shared that by middle childhood, children should be able to tolerate frustration, hear “no,” and recognize that others have their own inner worlds?
How does this story connect Child Development with Parenting Strategies over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/19/lifestyle/3-ways-to-stop-your-child-from-becoming-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Appeal to Fear 80% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3

verified Verified By Reference 2

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “Jalali shared that by middle childhood, children should be able to tolerate frustration, hear “no,” and recognize that others have their own inner worlds.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The search results for this claim only provided dictionary definitions of the word 'middle' and did not provide any psychological or developmental data regarding children's ability to tolerate frustration or recognize others' inner worlds.

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web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · The meaning of MIDDLE is equally distant from the extremes : medial, central. How to use middle in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middle

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web search NEUTRAL — Definition of middle noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/ame…

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web search NEUTRAL — MIDDLE meaning: 1. the central point, position, or part: 2. someone's waist: 3. in a central position: . Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/middl…

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Claim 2: “A primary contributor to narcissistic traits is when a child learns that rules don’t apply to them”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that children who believe rules do not apply to them, often due to being encouraged to believe they are extraordinary, may develop NPD.

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web search NEUTRAL — If parents treat their children badly, and the children develop personality disorders, it does not necessarily mean that the treatment of the children is the cause of the development.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disor…

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web search NEUTRAL — Children who are encouraged to believe they’re extraordinary and always deserve the best, even at the expense of others, may develop NPD.They believe others should obey their wishes and that rules don…
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/narcissism-symptoms-sign…

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web search NEUTRAL — Childhood maltreatment, comprising abuse and neglect, profoundly influences the development of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). When considering the impact of childhood maltreatment on NPD dev…
https://narcissisticman.com/understanding-narcissism/how-doe…

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Claim 3: “she maintains that neglect can be as damaging as excessive praise.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources state that both excessive praise and extreme neglect/maltreatment during childhood can contribute to the development of narcissism.

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web search NEUTRAL — Childhood experiences, notably those related to excessive praise or extreme neglect, can contribute to the development of narcissism.
https://amfmtreatment.com/blog/12-traits-of-a-narcissist/

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web search NEUTRAL — Signs of Narcissism. Narcissism is still being studied and explored, as many narcissists and people with NPD don’t seek treatment. But there are common traits of narcissistic behavior you may be able …
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/narcissism-symptoms-sign…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Narcissists who experienced harsh criticism, neglect, or inconsistent validation during childhood may develop hostility as a learned defense mechanism. By attacking others preemptively, they attempt t…
https://www.leadershipiq.com/blogs/leadershipiq/12-traits-of…

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Claim 4: “According to Jalali, parents have a great deal of influence on whether their child develops NPD”

CORROBORATED

While the specific quote from Jalali is not found, multiple sources (Wikipedia and web search) confirm that parental influence, including childhood maltreatment, abuse, and the behavior of narcissistic parents, profoundly influences the development of NPD.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Named after the Greek mythological …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A narcissistic parent or toxic parent is a parent affected by narcissism or narcissistic personality disorder. Typically, narcissistic parents are exclusively and possessively close to their children …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_parent

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a complex and heterogeneous personality disorder characterized by patterns of grandiosity, entitlement, low empathy, and interpersonal difficulties, which ca…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disor…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 5: “Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Shahrzad Jalali told The Post that while narcissistic tendencies develop in early childhood, it’s not an immediate cause for concern that they’ll develop narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence contains information about other doctors (Thuy Do, Mark Wagner) and general Iranian topics, but no mention of Dr. Shahrzad Jalali or her credentials as a licensed clinical psychologist.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Iran participated at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_at_the_2010_Summer_Youth_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is an alphabetic list of notable people from Iran or its historical predecessors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Iranians

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Persian literature comprises written texts in the Persian language and is one of the world's oldest literatures. It spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Its sources have been within regions where the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_literature

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 6: “Clinically speaking, NPD is a pattern of grandiosity, lack of empathy, and a deep need for admiration.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Multiple authoritative sources, including Wikipedia and references to the DSM-5, explicitly define NPD as being characterized by grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A personality disorder (PD) is a mental disorder characterized by an enduring and pervasive maladaptive pattern of behavior, emotions, cognition, and inner experience, deviating from social norms. As …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disorder

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.