resilience Archives - 1to1help

Did you know that building resilience in children can significantly shape their ability to face life’s challenges?

According to the American Psychological Association, resilience in children is a crucial trait that empowers them to adapt and bounce back from adversity.

In this article, we will delve into the various strategies you can employ to nurture resilience in children and equip them with the tools they need to thrive.

What Is Resilience?

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Resilience has been defined as the ability to bounce back from stress, challenge, tragedy, trauma or adversity.

It can be seen in the way children learn to think and act with efficient problem solving skills, determination and courage when they are in emotionally challenging situations.

As parents, our role is to instill skills of resilience in our little ones to help them deal with different circumstances such as adjustment to change in the classroom, new city, separation or death of loved ones, bullying, abuse, rejection by peer group and/or siblings, community violence and natural disasters.

Importance of Building Resilience in Childhood:

Developing resilience in kids lays the foundation for their lifelong emotional well-being.

Research by Child Trends highlights that children who possess strong resilience skills tend to have better mental health outcomes and improved academic performance.

By helping children learn to be resilient, we equip them with a valuable skillset that can positively impact their overall quality of life.

7 Ways to Build Resilience in Children:

Realistically, it may not be possible for us to be with our children each time they face a difficult situation.

Not being equipped to handle such circumstances can make our children feel vulnerable, fearful, anxious, helpless, sad and lonely. Here are a few ways in which you can help your children build resilience:

Ensure social support:

Our first responsibility is to help our children build supportive relationships with parents, teachers, relatives, siblings and friends.

They do best when they feel loved, accepted, understood and secure. Through positive daily interactions, children learn to be giving, kind and supportive of others when they are faced with difficulties.

Encourage them to ask for help:

Children will often have the idea that being brave is about dealing with things by themselves. Let them know that being brave and strong means knowing when to ask for help

Recommended Read: 7 Ways To Make Time For Yourselves While Parenting

Facilitate thinking:

promoting thinking in children helps with building resilience in children

Image Source: Pexels

The way we react to things has a lot to do with the way we think about the situation.

Thinking skills play a big part in our ability to regulate our emotions and behaviour, so it is important to give children opportunities to think and act independently.

Allowing them to make their own decisions will also help them develop a sense of mastery, be less reactive to stress, and more able to handle future challenges.

Model resilience:

When children see that their parents also face challenges at times but still make efforts to overcome the stress, that not only normalises difficult experiences for them but also gives them the opportunity to learn how to respond to similar situations in their lives.

Develop a positive outlook:

Let the child know that change is a part of life and help them understand the positive aspects of difficult situations (for example, treating it as a learning opportunity).

This is an important part of self-regulation as it helps us to feel better about things and builds hope.

Build the child’s self esteem:

Confidence in one’s abilities and an “I can do it” attitude motivates one to keep trying even when things are difficult. It is then that our efforts are more likely to pay off.

Give the child responsibilities for small things and avoid comparing them to other children.

This helps them believe that they are capable enough to handle things, and treat failures or setbacks as a part of learning.

Recommended Read: Are you a Helicopter Parent?

Encourage problem solving in creative ways:

Encourage your child to think about “how” he/she can possibly solve situations. In schools, this can be done through group discussions where children come up with alternative solutions.

Writing essays such as “When you helped someone”, or “When somebody else helped you”, or “When you managed to get through a difficult situation”, helps reinforce the learning.

Resilience-Building Activities for Kids:

Engage children in activities that promote problem-solving and emotional expression. Art, storytelling, and outdoor adventures can help them build resilience while having fun.

Conclusion:

Building resilience in children is a gift that keeps on giving. By helping them develop the ability to bounce back from setbacks, we empower them to face the complexities of life with courage and strength.

As parents and caregivers, we have the opportunity to shape their futures by fostering resilience and helping them grow into emotionally resilient individuals who are ready to tackle whatever comes their way.

References:

https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience/guide-parents-teachers
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/resilience/
https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-in-children/
https://member.1to1help.net/articles/Strategies-to-Build-Resilience-Before-Facing-Trauma/NzUx
https://member.1to1help.net/articles/What-is-Resilience/NzU0
https://member.1to1help.net/articles/5-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Resilience/NzUz

When a person grows up listening to negative thoughts about the self from an early age, then this can have quite an impact on the person. If these issues are not addressed early on, then this constant negative self-talk gets reinforced and can lead to poor emotional wellbeing and struggles later into adulthood.

Children who are able to understand and manage their emotions have the ability to view things with a positive perspective. This gives them the space to grow cognitively, creatively, and socially. During all of this, the support you provide as a parent is of utmost importance. Looking after their emotional needs is just as important as their cognitive development. Here are some practical tips to support your child emotionally:

1.     Pay attention: children can show they’re struggling in several different ways. They may act out and constantly get into trouble or withdraw into their own bubble. This could signal a bigger issue that needs to be tackled. If you’re aware of what’s going on, you’re in a better position to provide emotional support for your child.

2.    Encourage expression: teach your child how to recognise why they’re feeling certain emotions and how to express those feelings. They may express themselves in the form of a story, drawing, or a diary entry. Be patient and hear them out as this helps them gain self-awareness.

3.    Put yourself in their shoes: listen to your child and their viewpoints, validate their feelings. This helps them to process the situation better and even allows them to accept a different perspective as they feel understood and accepted.

4.     It’s okay to not feel okay: it’s important to let your child know that everyone struggles from time to time, it’s a normal part of life.

5.    Allow them time to self-reflect: make it a habit where they spend some time thinking through past situations: their actions, behaviours and how to handle similar situations in the future. This can help them understand why they feel a certain way and how to cope with it.

6.    Be supportive: be available for your child so they understand that you’re always there for them if they need you. Understanding and respecting their feelings strengthens their emotional development. This gives them more space to focus on building their skills, creativity and learning.

7.    Boost their self-esteem: rather than focusing on times when your child struggles and unintentionally causing them to feel inadequate, emphasise their good qualities and skills they’ve developed. This reinforces their self-worth reducing negative thinking about themselves.

8.    Resilience: children find it difficult to cope when things don’t go their way. This can result in feelings that are hard for them to deal with. In these situations, it’s helpful to reassure them, validate their feelings and let them know that they’re capable of bouncing back, no matter what situation is thrown at them.

9.    Help build relationships: good relationships, whether with family or friends, acts as solid ground for your child to stand on as they’re exploring and learning about the world around them. Our relationships with those around us affect the way we feel, and hence it’s important that children learn how to build relationships and solidify those connections.

10.  Learning by example: if you’re the type of person that’s closed off and embarrassed or uncomfortable of expressing your feelings, your child is likely to mimic this behaviour. Showing your children that you’re able to express your emotions and cope with them in a positive way will let them know that when faced with adversity, they too can do the same.