Opinion | Between the lines: showing children how to cope with adversity

I love Twinkle, the little girl on , an animated children's TV series. Every person and animal is a Matryoshka doll, hopping around on their limbless stump, and pulling out useful items from their hollowed torsos.

Each episode focuses on a different hero, such as a firefighter, zookeeper, postal worker or dentist. Viewers learn about various vocations when main characters encounter some challenges which only an adult in the appropriate line of work can solve.

Before the hero appears to save the day, Twinkle never fails to enthusiastically offer some outrageously impractical and complicated solution. I love Twinkle because she has such an admirable "can-do" spirit, and doesn't shy away from perplexing problems.

In the field of cognitive psychology, Twinkle would measure a high AQ, or adversity quotient. AQ was developed by Dr Paul Stoltz, who defines it as "the capacity of the person to deal with the adversities of his life. As such, it is the science of human resilience."

is Spencer Johnson's version of his bestselling book for adults, about adapting to change and viewing change in a positive light.

This modern parable about two mice and two little humans in a maze provides insight into the different approaches of those with high AQ and those with low AQ when presented with the same challenge.

In the beginning, they find a big room full of "magical cheese" that makes them happy and contented. But when supplies dwindle, the mice resolve to look elsewhere in the maze for more cheese, while the little people keep returning to the empty room to rue the loss of the cheese.