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"What makes me optimistic? Seeing people plant 🪴 and look after animals and nature and children. Children are the future and if they are kind the world will be a better place in the future," Rachel Cameron told me.
Dr Rachel Cameron, PhD (Medicine), MAICD, is a
In a world with never-ending challenges, optimism is necessary for a better life and adopting the ever-increasing opportunities.
In an audience, The Dalai Lama emphasised to us the importance of instilling optimism in children, stating that it is essential to help them remain hopeful and optimistic despite the challenges.
Optimism is an essential psychological ingredient that we can cultivate in our children, as Professor Lea Waters, the Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, states. It is the secret weapon of strength-based parenting.
According to educational psychologist Michele Borba, optimistic children are more likely to view challenges and obstacles as temporary and surmountable, increasing their likelihood of success. Conversely, pessimistic children are more likely to view challenges as permanent, like cement blocks that are impossible to move and are more likely to give up. Teaching children optimism begins with us, as we become their inner voices, says Borba.
Jennifer Vigne, a school district superintendent, argues that equipping children with lifelong neurological tools like optimism, which can be practised and improved over time, can make them happier and perform better in school. In addition, it helps them overcome obstacles by seeing challenges as learning opportunities, developing resilience, and ultimately enabling them to choose a more positive outlook.
Professor Maurice Elias, a psychology professor at Rutgers University, encourages teachers to build what he calls "optimistic future-mindedness" in their students, which boosts optimism and enables students to see a path to a bright future. Helping kids find a purpose, anything, is crucial, says Katie Hurley, as it makes them optimistic and gives them the strength to overcome difficulties.
According to Camilla Schippa, the CEO of The Social Outfit, optimism is essential to moving forward in life and is the essence of life. She told me that we owe it to ourselves and our children to be optimistic and that optimism is vital for our society's most significant potential. Likewise, Ashleigh Henrichs, from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Racine and Kenosha Counties, believes that children's energy, optimism, and hope should inspire us all.
Paul King, the President and CEO of Stanford Children's Health, believes that pediatric medicine is about optimism and the future. A school nurse, Robin Cogan, states that her optimism is informed by a relentless pursuit of caring for children and families with complex health and social needs and investing in their health, safety, and well-being.
Catherine Misson states that optimism is the source of society's most significant potential, enthusing our youth with an empowered view of the horizon, no matter the challenges in front of them. It is about preserving children's innate capacity and encouraging them to craft a future worth inheriting.
Matthew Guy, the former Leader of the Liberal Party in the Victorian Parliament, told me he is optimistic because he sees Australian kids as being smarter, more confident, and more ingenious than any generation we have seen. As a result, he believes that they can lead Australia differently and better in the future.
In conclusion, the best way to instil optimism in our children is to model optimism ourselves.
Optimistic children are more likely to view challenges as temporary and surmountable, increasing their chances of success, while pessimistic children are likelier to give up. Being optimistic helps us move forward, preserves our innate capacity, and enables us to craft a future worth inheriting.
Therefore, we owe it to our children to be optimistic, as optimism is the essence of life.
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