Wouldn’t it be nice if life were smooth sailing for your kids? We’ve all been through rough experiences and every parent wants something better for their children.
Unfortunately, challenges are a part of life and your kids won’t be able to escape them just as you weren’t able to. The best thing you can do is help your child become more resilient.
What does that mean and how does it help? Let’s find out.
Resilience Defined
Resilience is the character quality that determines how you respond to difficulties. When life knocks you down, how do you respond? Do you stay on the ground and feel sorry for yourself? Or do you come up swinging, determined not to let the challenge keep you down?
The type of person that comes up swinging is said to be more resilient. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t affected by tragedies, but they do bounce back more quickly.
How Do Resilient People Become Resilient?
As with most character qualities, resilience comes from both nature and nurture. In other words, some people are born with more resilience than others, but the child’s environment also plays a role in how much resilience they develop.
For example, have you ever watched how different kids respond to a simple situation, such as falling and skinning their knee while playing a game of tag? Resilient children tend to bounce right back up and dive back into the game as quickly as possible.
Less resilient children might cry or sit on the floor longer. It’s harder for them to just “shake it off” and keep going.
The fact that resilience is not 100% nature means that you can help your child develop more of it. Here are a few simple tips.
1. Be a Loving Parent
There are many factors that affect a child’s resilience but there is one that emerges above the rest. A loving, supportive relationship with at least one parent or another adult is instrumental in building resilience.
2. Demonstrate Resilience
Children of resilient parents tend to be more resilient themselves. Children watch how you react to difficult circumstances and will mimic what you do.
If you tend to get stressed and overwhelmed easily, it’s likely that your child will as well. But if you remain calm under pressure and attend to the problem at hand as best you can, they will learn how to do that as well. Read more about: la senorita
3. Encourage Creativity
Resilient people tend to be creative and good at solving problems. There are many age-appropriate games and toys aimed at stimulating this part of the brain which can help your child develop more resilience.
4. Encourage Autonomy
This one is hard for many parents. We naturally want to protect our children and make sure nothing bad befalls them. However, kids who are given more responsibility and allowed to be more independent also become more resilient.
Raising a Resilient Child
It’s hard to watch your kids struggle, but it’s a fact of life that they will. The greatest gift you can give them is the ability to handle those struggles well. Get started with a few of these tips today!
