Lately doctors and biologists have begun to draw our attention to our society's trend for
create increasingly sterile living environments. There are many experts who argue that our tendency to
germophobia is really harmful, especially for children, because it doesn't give them the chance to develop the immune defenses they need to fight germs. Thus, according to some, the number of children suffering from autoimmune diseases has increased enormously in recent decades, and a study in psychology somehow picks up on this idea. According to researchers at the University of Minnesota, a "tumultuous" education prepares children to face the injustices of life and helps them make better decisions.
Several studies have shown that children who grow up in poor families with problems show differences in decision-making, memory and cognitive performance in general. Previous studies related to decision-making, for example, reveal that people raised in stressful environments choose often the small immediate rewards instead of waiting for bigger rewards. Undoubtedly, this is an understandable decision, because their life has been marked by uncertainty. If there was nothing guaranteed in their world, it is normal for them to choose the certainty of the "here and now", rather than waiting for a reward that they may not get. In practice, these people apply the saying “better an egg today than a chicken tomorrow.” These changes have always been considered flaws, but now these researchers suggest a new theory: it's all about differences, it doesn't mean that these children are less capable. to reach adulthood. In fact, they could also make better decisions and be more resilient, depending on the needs of the context.This study involved executive functions, which are those that allow us to process and manage our complex behaviors, including decision-making and level of attention. The experiment focused on evaluating inhibition, which can be understood as the ability to stay focused on the task while ignoring environmental distractions, a skill that is traditionally associated with the ability to delay gratification. from one goal to another as quickly as possible, a skill that is particularly important for people who move in unpredictable, constantly changing contexts.At the end of the experiment, the researchers could see that people who had grown up in environments more tumultuous or aggressive far outstripped those who had grown up in happier environments. These people were able to ignore environmental distractions by staying focused on activities. They also showed the ability to change one's attentional focus in no time.
In recent years, following the spread of positive messages and the explosion of what we could call the
"Psychology of Happiness", we have created an artificial environment in which “negative” emotions are demonized and we try to enhance “positive” emotions at all costs. But life is not like that, life is about suffering and laughing, getting angry and recomposing, feeling nostalgic and moving on, so the tendency to over-protect children from life's hardships, injustices and everyday problems can actually be counterproductive. Softening their world and creating a bubble of false happiness around them can generate a distorted image of reality and, what is worse, prevent them from building the tools they need to deal with problems. A child who does not make mistakes will never develop a good tolerance for frustration, a child educated in the suppression of "negative" emotions will be an emotionally disabled adult. Of course, don't get me wrong (although I believe some will), I don't mean yes. should follow a Spartan style of education. For those who do not know, I open a small historical parenthesis, in the city of Sparta eugenics was established, if at the time of birth the child was not of strong constitution he was abandoned on a hill or a cliff. If he survived and endured cold, heat and dark, then he was saved and educated.This means that one should not unnecessarily expose children to situations that cause harm, just to temper their temper. But it is important that this obsession with infertility does not extend to the psychological level, it is essential not to fall into emotional sterility, into artificial happiness.We cannot protect children from everything because the only way to develop resilience is in adversity. It is about finding a middle ground that allows children to develop their own psychological tools to cope with life.
