Review article
https://doi.org/10.21857/mwo1vcz88y
Upbringing, Education and Psychological (Non-) Resistance of Children and Young People
Dubravka Miljković
orcid.org/0000-0002-1616-0792
; Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
An epidemic of permissive upbringing, characterized by excessive giving (of toys, clothes, activities), overprotective approach to children, and loose family structure (vague roles of family members and non-respect of the rules) are taking their toll: children and young people have become psychologically non-resistant. They tend to develop unbacked feeling of self-respect and selfconfidence, and are incapable of postponing the fulfilment of their needs (they want everything and they want it presently). This makes them psychologically non-resistant to the challenges of life. Longitudinal research has shown that in their adult age, they become predominantly oriented towards materialistic life goals, as well as less emphatic, less happy and less grateful.
The process of education in schools often, unfortunately, follows the trend of permissiveness: achievement- and competence-based classification has been abolished; intelligence tests are no longer conducted; there is a mass inflation of excellents school marks; the lowest level of study takes priority in classes; and hard work diminishes by the hour. In brief, any tactic available is used to protect the feeling of self-respect in children who would otherwise be outshined by other children. The (incorrect) opinion prevails that this approach might bring more benefit to them than loss to the children who could otherwise excel.
The paper discusses concrete educational procedures, which increase the psychological non-resistance of children and young people, and the already proven interventions relating to the development of psychological resistance.
Keywords
education; upbringing; positive psychology; psychological resistance
Hrčak ID:
207918
URI
Publication date:
22.10.2018.
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