Psychology says the resilience of people born in the 1960s and 70s comes from a childhood where you came home to an empty house, figured things out without being asked if you were okay, and just quiet

Key Points:

• The author reflects on growing up in an empty house after school, highlighting how this experience fostered resilience, independence, and self-reliance from a young age.
• Unlike today's children, who often have constant adult supervision and emotional check-ins, the author's generation learned to navigate challenges alone, developing problem-solving skills and internal emotional regulation.
• Research supports that early independence and responsibility contribute to self-competence and lower anxiety, contrasting with current trends linking overprotection to increased mental health issues in youth.
• The author acknowledges that while this upbringing cultivated strength and adaptability, it also led to difficulties in asking for help and increased self-imposed pressure in adulthood.
• Ultimately, the empty house symbolizes a formative environment where the author and their peers learned to be their own witnesses, comforters, and rescuers, shaping a unique kind of resilience.