Joy unconfined in Britain this week as millions of children went back to school and millions of parents were finally relieved of the need to juggle Zoom meetings with explaining the seven times table to a restless infant with ketchup on their elbow (the child’s elbow, that is, though I suppose it could be the parent’s elbow too).
Much has been made of the threat the pandemic poses to the mental health of our young people.
Children have been deprived of education, friendship, exercise, socialisation and purpose – a surefire way to erode mental equilibrium, even if many will also have enjoyed missing out on a few months of grey, soggy school meals.
But we also wonder if in the longer term, the opposite may also be true. As long as it is not too traumatic, adversity builds resilience and acceptance – vital tools for maintaining psychological flexibility.
Boredom, frustration, disappointment and rejection are inevitable facts of life – it’s a good idea to get used to them early.
Life doesn’t always go the way you want it to. Sadness is an essential part of what it is to be alive, as author Helen Russell spells out beautifully in a new book.
Could it be that Generation Z now understand this far more readily than previous cohorts who grew up in the golden years that straddled the turn of the millennium?
And if they do, will they be less likely to trip up when the going gets tough in their adult lives?
Let’s hope so. As ever, we’d be interested in your thoughts on this, particularly if you or someone you know is from this under-25 age group.
Otherwise, this week we rubbed our hands in glee after reading:
The bot that matches vaccine appointments with those who need the jab (three-minute read).
The rise and rise of eco-homes (two-minute read).
The seniors getting to grips with online life (90-second read)
The Ugandan city built on solar and shea butter (three-minute read).
Of light and leeks: can UV “recipes” make plants grow better? (90-second read).
How one tiny country expunged Covid-19 (two-minute read).
The revival of Pacific coral (four-year rebound).
Win-win conversations in a foreign language (trois minutes, douche comprise).
And your gratuitous, fun-silly story of the week: how “Dundee United” came to mean “fool” in Nigeria (two-minute actual lols).
Lucky numbers
Weekly deaths involving coronavirus in the over-80s in England and Wales have fallen almost 80% over the past five weeks.
And cancer death rates have fallen sharply across Europe over the past 30 years, according to the latest research.
Two-thirds of Bafta acting nominations have gone to non-white actors. And women make up a majority of best director nominees for the first time.
And the introduction of a UK sugar tax in 2018 led to a 10% reduction in the sugar consumed by households via soft drinks.
What we liked
This seems timely, given the news of President Joe Biden’s huge stimulus bill: what happened when a town in California gave people free money for two years? Courtesy of Vox.
And as the world marked the 10th anniversary of the Japanese nuclear disaster at Fukushima, we enjoyed reading about the two men who stayed behind in the city to look after stray pets.
Where was the Upside?
Down at the grass roots, where inspiring action to confront climate change is proliferating.
Thanks for reading. Have a good weekend. Take a walk on the Upside, and tell us all about it.
