Let your child fail now to help them succeed in the future, expert tells Hong Kong parents

Failure is a word Dr Kenneth Ginsburg hates using. "It is such a strong word. It sounds so final," he says. But as much as he dislikes the word and the negative connotations it carries, Ginsburg believes that, as experiences go, failure can be pretty positive for teenagers and one which parents shouldn't fear.

In fact, he believes it's necessary, and when parents try to prevent their children from failing, they are depriving them of an experience which will make them stronger and better able to face the challenges of their teen and adult years.

"Failure is actually just a misstep; it gives you the opportunity to learn to recover and to build tenacity," he says.

"If you don't learn how to recover in childhood, then when you fail as an adult you are going to fall apart."

This is why, says Ginsburg, parents should resist the temptation to step in and try to turn every potential failure into success for their children.

"You can't have someone hovering over a child saying, 'No child of mine will get these grades.' That will not foster tenacity. It's going to make that child feel oppressed, like they are performing for someone else."