GROWING UP IN FINLAND, I was the archetypal spoilt youngest child – doted on and raised with fairly loose reins. I could always go to my parents for emotional support, but my childhood also coincided with their busiest years of life. As a fairly precocious and bookish child, I appeared to have a good handle on things. They gradually began trusting me to manage daily life – school, teeth-brushing, bedtimes – on my own.
That trust would prove misguided. When it came to things like self-discipline, my ability was almost non-existent. I’d agonise over unfinished homework all the way until bedtime, every day, and would always choose instant gratification over long-term award. This was especially true when it came to overindulging in sweets. I would compensate by not eating much proper food and thus avoided becoming overweight, but few children my age spent as much time in the dentist’s chair as I did.