Pediatric Surgeon: The Skill Every Child Needs to Develop in the AI Era
Dr. Dana Suskind believes that pushing technology is the wrong direction, and the real asset for the future is a trait developed exclusively outside a child's comfort zone.
Dr. Dana Suskind believes that pushing technology is the wrong direction, and the real asset for the future is a trait developed exclusively outside a child's comfort zone.
Parents are increasingly thinking about which skills will be crucial for their children in a world where artificial intelligence is taking over jobs that once required years of education. Pediatric surgeon Dr. Dana Suskind believes the answer is not in becoming better at using technology.
"If I were raising a child today, I wouldn't teach them to be the best user of artificial intelligence," she told CNBC.
According to Dr. Suskind, for children growing up in the age of AI, it is especially important to develop frustration tolerance-the ability to keep trying when things don't go right immediately. Parents often want to remove every obstacle, but she believes that such experiences are exactly what foster development.
"Progress rarely happens within the comfort zone," notes the pediatric surgeon.
By tackling small challenges with the help of adults, children gain persistence and learn that they shouldn't give up when they encounter obstacles. The parent should not immediately solve the problem for them.
"The parent's job is not to take over the task," Dr. Suskind points out.
Frustration also encourages creativity and independent problem-solving, while ready-made solutions can deprive children of an important part of the learning process. Dr. Suskind emphasizes that without repeated failures, one cannot innovate or think critically without facing uncertainty.
"You can't innovate without repeated failures, nor can you think critically without facing uncertainty," Dr. Suskind stresses.
That's why she encourages parents to let children make mistakes and try again. Children also learn to cope with frustration through relationships with parents, teachers, and peers, which contributes to the development of self-regulation, resilience, and empathy.
"I would help them become an adaptable person who doesn't give up in the face of difficulties and learns from failure to keep moving forward, even when the solution isn't immediately visible," concludes Dr. Suskind.
