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Hanukkah has passed, along with the long holiday \u2014 the first little sign that the end of the year is just around the corner. Not the calendar year, but the school year itself \u2014 because soon it\u2019s report cards, and right after that Passover, then more report cards, and summer. Poof! The year is gone.<\/p>\n\n
Not really, of course, but imagine if we could play with time like that \u2014 if we had a remote control that lets us move forward and backward, skip the tough or boring chapters, and replay the pleasant ones…<\/p>\n\n
Until that technology develops (I\u2019m ready to start a Kickstarter!), we\u2019ll probably have to rely on patience\u2014and help our kids develop it too. In this era where everything is instant and fast, a short video feels to today\u2019s kids like watching a long, detailed historical series felt to us back then\u2014something that requires a lot of patience to get through. Patience is a precious commodity, and remember, you can\u2019t buy it in any store, even if you\u2019re a shopping pro…<\/p>\n\n
Getting upset is okay, but it\u2019s not very effective in the long run. So today, I decided to write about using art to develop patience!<\/p>\n\n
Why patience?<\/p>\n\n
Patience helps us adapt and build a more flexible life\u2014one full of success and fulfillment. Patient children accept boundaries in a way that benefits them and allows them to function better. They\u2019re more attentive to the world and have a healthier connection with themselves that matches reality. Most likely, they\u2019ll grow up to be adults who experience less frustration and stagnation, and who see the world as a place where it\u2019s good to live and possible to succeed. \nI didn\u2019t just make this up, honestly!<\/p>\n\n
Have you heard of the “Marshmallow Test”?<\/p>\n\n
The Marshmallow Test, first developed and conducted in the 1960s at Stanford University by psychologist Walter Mischel, is considered one of the most influential experiments in psychology. The study aimed to investigate the development of patience and the ability to delay gratification in young children, specifically those aged 2 to 4 years. In the experiment, children were given the choice to receive one marshmallow immediately or wait for a short period and receive two marshmallows later. \n \nBeyond simply measuring self-control, the experiment also examined how this early ability to delay gratification related to important emotional, social, academic, and career outcomes later in life. The findings suggest that children who showed greater patience and self-control tended to experience better life outcomes in multiple areas.<\/p>\n\n
Each child entered an empty room with a single marshmallow placed on a plate. They were told that they could eat the marshmallow immediately or wait patiently alone in the room for a few minutes. If they succeeded in waiting, they would receive an additional marshmallow as a reward.<\/p>\n\n
About two-thirds of the children tested couldn\u2019t resist the temptation; some ate the marshmallow as soon as the experimenter left the room.<\/p>\n\n