Psychologist Reveals 3 Things to Prevent Children from Becoming Strawberry Generation

According to Kemenkeu.go.id, Professor Rhenald Kasali defines the strawberry generation as a generation full of creative ideas but easily give up and get easily hurt. This definition can be seen through social media platforms. So many creative ideas are born from young people, but at the same time, there are also many anxious tweets expressing their feelings.

Isn't it sad? This mentality is certainly influenced by parenting styles and the environment. So, how can we prevent children from becoming the strawberry generation?

Roslina Verauli, a teenage and family psychologist, through her Instagram account @verauli.id,, provides important advice for parents to help their children develop strong mental resilience and self-awareness. This is to prevent them from becoming the strawberry generation."

"Nowadays, children are likened to the strawberry generation who easily crumble and can't handle social pressures and work pressures easily," said Vera.

According to her, children who are overly protected, spoiled, and treated excessively can turn into the strawberry generation. Therefore, there are three aspects that parents need to know in order to build resilience in their children. What are these aspects?

1. Self-awareness (I am..)
Help children develop a positive self-awareness, such as feeling happy and having strengths. For example, "I am intelligent in a certain field," "I am happy," "I am loved."

Through words, habits, and parenting, make sure children truly have good self-confidence by knowing their weaknesses and strengths. It is also essential to ensure that children always feel loved by their parents.

"So, the self-awareness should be positive," said Vera.

2. Fulfill the need for affection (I have..)

Fulfill children's need for affection, so that they have the realization that they have people who support them. This will greatly impact their self-confidence.

"I have parents who support me, I have talents/ skills," Vera revealed.

3. Be able to control oneself (I can..)
One important skill to teach children is self-control. When in an unpleasant situation, children can still control themselves to avoid making the situation more complicated.

This is closely related to their ability to handle problems and resolve conflicts. Train children to be accustomed to finding their own solutions to problems. Parents don't always need to intervene, just guide and let the child face the consequences, whether good or bad. From there, children learn a lot and develop stronger mental resilience.

According to Vera, the message is that children can think I can do it, I can solve problems, I can control myself. It's not easy indeed, but it can be attempted.

Stay strong, parents!

4 Most Stressful Moments When Dealing with Teenagers

Dream - As children grow older, parenting styles will change. Obviously, we cannot treat them the same way as when they were toddlers, when they have entered elementary school.

Similarly, when children become teenagers, their attitudes and thoughts will be very different. Often, parents forget this and do not adapt to their children's changes.

A study of 1,000 parents of teenagers revealed that 75% of parents believe that the ages of 13-19 are the most challenging years in raising children, with one in three (32%) admitting that they are "unprepared."

It turns out that raising teenagers is not as easy as parents think. There are moments that are emotionally draining and considered to be highly stressful for parents. What are these moments?

1. Dealing with Teenagers' Mood Swings
Teenagers' mood swings are the most challenging. They can suddenly become silent, withdraw, or change their behavior drastically after initially behaving well." This becomes a common condition.

The good news is that as teenagers get older, research shows that they gain better ability to control their emotions. Conflict with parents subsides and they generally learn more adaptive ways to deal with their moods.

2. Helping Teenagers Make Important Life Choices

Assisting teenage children in making important life choices can be stressful. What makes this issue even more challenging is that during adolescence, children have to make countless decisions about their education, friends, and future.

In fact, during adolescence, the part of the brain that controls decision-making is not fully developed until early adulthood. Therefore, the developing teenage brain puts them at a greater risk of making poor decisions and being less able to consider the consequences of their choices.

3. Allowing Teenagers to Make Mistakes

Withholding comments, preventing negative outcomes, and allowing teenage children to make their own mistakes also greatly stresses parents. Experts agree that this is an important part of adolescent development. Allowing children to learn from their mistakes helps build resilience and is crucial for their problem-solving abilities.

4. Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes are an important part of adolescent physical and sexual development. Surges in hormones dominate their bodies and affect everything from emotions and moods to sexual feelings and behavior. Some parents admit that when their children enter adolescence, it feels like raising an entirely different child.

In this situation, it is important to pay attention to their daily nutritional intake. Provide them with nutritious protein-rich foods and ensure they engage in regular physical activities. It is highly recommended for them to have a regular exercise schedule, such as playing futsal, basketball, joining dance classes, and so on. This greatly helps improve teenagers' moods.

Source: RaisingTeenToday