The mouse hunger effect was described by American scientist Chris McKay in an experiment that surprised many people. Chris divided newly born mice into two groups. The first group was fed fully every day, and they lived about 1,000 days. The second group was fed about 60%, often hungry but lived for about 2,000 days. This study is called the “Mouse Hunger Effect.”
This means that when given excess food and a comfortable life, the first group of mice lacked motivation to live, while the second group, which experienced deprivation, had the strength to survive. This is also consistent with the saying, “Eat until you are 70% full, get drunk until you are 30% full, and treat others with kindness at 80%.”
From there, many people say that applying the mouse hunger effect to raising children will help them have motivation and prospects for the future.
The mouse hunger effect shows that a little deprivation can lead to greater efforts
The always-fed mice
It cannot be denied that smartphones are an indispensable item in today’s life. When you have a smartphone in your hand and are connected to the internet, you will feel that your life is amazing.
Even during bathroom breaks, you have to bring your phone to watch videos. You place the phone to the side while brushing your teeth and washing your face. Before going to bed, you have to send messages and browse the web. You press the phone for any free time until it runs out of battery.
All your free time, no matter how short, is filled by the phone.
However, what do you gain after wasting your free time? Irritation, complaints, frustration, jealousy, worry, exhaustion, physical pain… The more you use your phone, the more your physical and mental well-being deteriorates.
Returning to today’s children, they are being given too much by their parents. Many babies do not have to move a muscle; it seems that apart from studying, they have no responsibilities in life. However, the achievements of these children are not always good.
Many parents believe that their children only need to excel in academics, while they take care of everything else, from studying in the morning to attending various classes in the evening. On weekends, they have to take extra classes in order to keep up with their peers. Parents do not want their children to fall behind from the starting line, so they push them to study the whole week.
Reality shows that children dislike it when their parents arrange their studies for them.
Many parents have cared for and given their children too many privileges. When they were young, parents took care of their every meal, every sleep, and paid great attention to their studies. As they grew up, parents worried about their children’s future homes. They tried to work and borrow money to buy a house, so that their children would not have to struggle in the future.
Some even prepare a large amount of money so that their children can start a business, so that they don’t have to worry about money matters.
Will these children growing up like this become promising or successful individuals? In reality, children will depend on their parents, not find meaning in life, and not know the value of hard work.
The future of “slightly hungry mice”
Many children, when life is not overly abundant in material things but have the desire and effort, can rise up stronger. If you let your child live in an imperfect way, even somewhat deprived, it will be good for their future.
Let your child experience the taste of a difficult life, at least not always meeting all their demands. The most important thing is for children to learn to earn money through their own hard work.
Poverty and hunger are also forms of education. Money is only valued when it is hard to come by, for both adults and children. Therefore, parents should not give their children too much money, otherwise they will spend it recklessly, wasting all the family’s wealth.
When children enter adolescence, parents need to learn to let go. Gradually, you will see that your children are no longer timid. Look at the little deer, as soon as it is born, its mother kicks and hits it, forcing it to stand up. Because not far away, there are tigers and lions lurking, and if it doesn’t run, it will become prey.
Parents should let their children become independent so that when they enter society as adults, they will be much more mature. A child who is normal in eating and dressing, does not have too much money, is good for their development. Humans are never satisfied with life, they will always pursue satisfaction and continuous progress. Of course, when depriving children a little, it must be accompanied by guidance and education, not simply abandoning them in deprivation.
