Raising Optimistic Kids in an Era of Pessimism
I want a hopeful outlook for my children. I think most of parents do. But we live in particularly pessimistic times, especially when we consider the environment, the government and education. Fortunately, research suggests ways to help our children grow up with the resilient "can do" attitude that's the mark of the optimist—and maintain a happier disposition(性情)ourselves. Here's what I've learned, and what I'm trying.
Pay attention to the positive
There's one problem with the pessimist's perspective: progress is happening everywhere. Humanity has improved by many measures—life expectancy, poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, religious tolerance, gender equality. But that success has become the water in which we swim, and like fish, we take the water for granted. While we fail to notice the positive, our brains naturally emphasize the negative.
But with practice, we can help our brains give the good stuff equal weight. When you hear a great story or achieve something in your own life or just find yourself in a beautiful place with those you love, deliberately rest your mind on that experience and stay with it. Describe what you're doing to your kids, and encourage them to talk about their joys and pleasures as well.
Moderate your news intake
On any given day, ugly things have been said and done, justice has not been served—and vast forces are now aligned to ensure we don't miss a minute of it. But those lashes of anxiety are mostly pointless. I may need and want to know what's going on in the world, but news delivered in that manner evokes fear rather than information, and it makes our children worried as well. It's difficult for them to feel secure when they see us reacting constantly to outside events that are often invisible to them. That's why I've turned my news notifications off.
Involve yourself in your community
Following the "big scary" news can not only leave us feeling helpless and distraught, it can also distract(使分心)us from the smaller issues where knowing the facts and then acting might make a difference. So put your energy toward making sure you and your family are a part of the world immediately around you. That might mean volunteering or voting, but it might also mean simply joining and being part of local institutions and clubs that feed our natural human need for connection.
Raising optimistic kids is hard, in part, because it demands that parents give up the cynical(愤世嫉俗的)perspective, which is the easiest response to an era of pessimism. But while I don't know what I or you or our kids can do to make the news better, I do know that we need to find ways to try—and that means answering the "optimists wanted" call, and raising our children to do the same. Hopeful, resilient problem solvers needed. No application necessary. Just show up, and make the best of it.
Raising Optimistic Kids in an Era of Pessimism | |
The hope of raising optimistic kids | ●The author wishes his or her kids to be optimistic, which is of most parents. ●In an era of pessimism, there are still some ways to our kids up with positive attitudes. |
The to raising optimistic kids | ●You can get rid of pessimism through the positive instead of the negative to make your kids realize any progress counts. ●You can enjoy and your happy moments and encourage your kids to follow suit. |
●You can identify and select information you need and avoid overreacting to news which causes your kids to. ●You can your news notifications to avoid being affected by ugly things. | |
●You can make a difference via on some facts and taking action so that your kids feel secure and confident. ●You can find something in your that makes you feel hopeful, and make it a part of your family life. | |
The contribution everyone can make to raising optimistic kids | ●Parents can give up their cynical perspective in an era of pessimism for the sake of their kids. ●Everyone can show up to answer the "optimists wanted" call and do your to raise optimistic kids. |
