Blog #2

 

 Chinese Cinderella is a story of a young girl named Adeline who is born into a wealthy Chinese family. However, while she is exposed to luxuries that many people never experience, her family is cold to her because her mother died due to complications from Adeline's birth. Adeline was scorned by her siblings and largely ignored by her father.  Children who are often ignored or discouraged run a risk of developing learned helplessness, which is described in Help Your Child to Thrive as a sense of helplessness and powerlessness that develops after continuous failure.  While Adeline did not have healthy relationships with most of her family at home, she had her Aunt Baba who supported her and a school setting in which she was allowed and encouraged to succeed. At home, Aunt Baba consistently communicated with Adeline, showing an interest in Adeline's life by asking questions and sharing her delight at her accomplishments, particularly those related to school. School itself was also a support for Adeline, as she was encouraged by her instructors and peers to achieve highly, and she was rewarded for her efforts with recognition and awards. The recognition and positive reinforcement Adeline received from her Aunt Baba and her school combated this learned helplessness. Instead of feeling powerless, Adeline was able to recognize that her efforts did yield positive results, and she became determined to continue to achieve highly in school.