Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric otolaryngologist, tells parents that in the age of artificial intelligence, they should forget about raising little IT experts. Instead, they should build character that will help children cope with life's challenges.
As the world buzzes about artificial intelligence and its impact on the job market, many parents are rightly wondering how to prepare their children for a future that seems uncertain. The answer offered by pediatric otolaryngologist Dr. Dana Suskind might surprise them, as it has nothing to do with tech skills.
"If I were raising a child today, I wouldn't teach them how to be the best user of artificial intelligence," Dr. Suskind told CNBC. Her focus is on a far more fundamental human trait that, ironically, is best developed through uncomfortable experiences.
According to Dr. Suskind, the key skill for children growing up in the age of AI is frustration tolerance-the ability to keep trying even when things don't go their way right away. She believes that these very experiences, which parents instinctively want to eliminate, foster the most important form of development.
"Progress rarely happens within the comfort zone," the doctor points out, highlighting the paradox of modern parenting. In our desire to give children the best, we often unconsciously deny them the opportunity for growth that comes from struggling with difficulties.
When a child hits an obstacle, the natural parental reaction is to step in and solve the problem. However, Dr. Suskind warns that this is exactly what should be avoided. "The parent's job is not to take over the task," she emphasizes. Instead, the role of adults is to provide support while the child independently navigates minor difficulties.
This approach fosters perseverance in children and the important life lesson that they don't need to give up as soon as something becomes hard. Frustration, she explains, is not an enemy to be eliminated but a powerful tool that encourages creativity and independent problem-solving. Ready-made solutions, on the other hand, can deprive children of a crucial part of the learning process.
Dr. Suskind goes a step further, linking frustration tolerance to the highest forms of human achievement. "You can't innovate without repeated failures, nor think critically without facing uncertainty," she asserts. Her message to parents is clear: let children make mistakes and try again.
This skill, she adds, doesn't develop in a vacuum. Children learn to cope with frustration through relationships with parents, teachers, and peers, which directly contributes to the development of self-regulation, resilience, and empathy. The ultimate goal isn't to raise a child who knows all the answers, but a person who isn't afraid of questions.
"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.
