Short-Term Fixes Hinder Long-Term Resilience

Parents often prioritize short-term markers of happiness for their children, believing these will lead to long-term success. However, this approach can reduce a child's ability to cope with disappointment and distress. By quickly intervening to alleviate short-term setbacks—such as not making a sports team or being excluded from social events—parents inadvertently teach their children to seek immediate solutions instead of developing resilience. This reliance on quick fixes may leave children unprepared for more significant challenges in life, such as academic rejections, as they come to expect instant gratification rather than learning to manage disappointments.