Between the duties that drag, the sleepless nights and the crises in the supermarket, it is not always easy to excel in the education of your children. Be aware, however, that the best behavior would be that revealed by this scientific study.
Researchers have been wondering for a long time that a child has become, once an adult, someone good in their sneakers. The family environment, discomfort, school, friends, screens, everything seems to play a role. But a new study published in the journal American Psychologist highlights a very specific factor, which would weigh heavily in the construction of a balanced adult. This factor is housed in small daily interactions, between 5 and 10 years old.
The researchers followed 2,232 British identical twins from birth to their 18th birthday. A choice that is not left to chance, since twins share 100 % of their genetic heritage. By studying them, scientists were able to isolate what was parental environment, not genes. Long -term, meticulous work, based on both home observations and on the analysis of exchanges recorded between mothers and children. At the end of the study, at 18, young people passed personality tests to assess what psychologists call “big five”: openness, professional conscience, extraversion, adventability and emotional stability.
Result: the children raised in a warm climate, where the attitude of the parents was marked by a precise form of attention between 5 and 10 years, displayed more developed personality traits on several dimensions. They were more open, more pleasant and more conscientious. Precious qualities in adulthood, and not only to succeed in studies or work. These features are also linked to better mental health and more stable relationships. “Our results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing positive parenting in childhood have the potential to have a positive impact on the population level thanks to weak, but durable effects on personality traits”, summed up the authors of the study.
For Jasmine Wertz, psychologist at the University of Edinburgh and the main author of the study, the explanation is based on a simple mechanism: children learn by observing. “If a parent is affectionate, it could teach children to be more understanding and empathetic, thus promoting pleasantness”, she explains. For his part, Tamar Gur, a reproductive psychiatrist, recalls that a child surrounded by this type of behavior builds a solid basis for his self -confidence: “If a child falls, we must make sure that he feels loved. If he had a difficult day and that a hug would be useful to him, affection is an essential asset.” In other words, this attitude creates an emotional safety net.
You will understand, do not hesitate to multiply the small gestures that show your child that he counts for you. This can be a hug, a kind word, a encouragement, a question asked with interest, a moment spent together without distraction, a benevolent look. In short, warm behavior.
