Building Resilience in Children: Strategies for Parents and Caregivers
Resilience is defined as the “capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties,” or “toughness.” Resilience can also refer to both the process and the result of effectively adjusting to challenging or adverse life situations, particularly by demonstrating mental, emotional, and behavioral adaptability in response to external or internal pressure. Many factors can influence the degree to which individuals adjust to challenges, such as their interactions within their environment, the accessibility and effectiveness of social support and coping methods.
Children often come across various challenges and difficult situations, such as beginning at a new school or kindergarten, moving to a different home or the arrival of a new sibling. Additionally, they may face more serious issues, such as bullying, family discord, illness, or the loss of a loved one. Over time, children grow resilience through their experiences. You can assist your child in fostering resilience by maintaining a nurturing and supportive relationship with them.
Why resilience is important for children
Resilient children possess the ability to bounce back from challenges and resume their daily activities with greater speed. When children successfully navigate challenges, it enhances their self-esteem and fosters a sense of competence for future challenges. When things don’t go well and the child experiences strong feelings, such as feeling anxious, sad, or disappointed, resilience can help them understand that the uncomfortable feelings won’t last forever.
Children who exhibit resilience are less prone to avoiding challenges or addressing them through maladaptive behaviors, such as becoming defensive, aggressive or engaging in self-harm. In addition, resilient children are also likely to have better physical and mental health than children who struggle to be resilient.
Tips for building resilience in your child
Maintain a routined and stable home environment: Sticking to a routine can provide a sense of security for children, particularly for younger ones who seek stability in their daily lives. Collaborate with your child to establish a routine that contains breaks for academic activities and leisure. During challenging times or transitions, it may be necessary to adjust certain aspects of the routine.
Make connections: Guide your child through interactions and forming connections with their peers, emphasizing the development of empathy and active listening skills. Building connections with others offers social support and enhances resilience.
Have your child help others: Children who experience feelings of helplessness can find a sense of empowerment through acts of service to others. Involve your child in volunteer activities suitable for their age, or seek their assistance with tasks that they are capable of handling.
Teach your child self-care: Explore the significance of basic self-care practices. This includes proper nutrition, engaging in physical activity, and ensuring sufficient rest. It is also essential to allow your child the opportunity to enjoy leisure activities and partake in pursuits they find pleasurable. Prioritizing self-care and enjoyment will assist children in maintaining balance and effectively managing stressful situations.
Move toward goals while keeping perspective: Instruct your child on the importance of establishing achievable goals and assist them in progressing towards these objectives gradually. Setting goals will enable children to concentrate on particular tasks and foster the resilience necessary to advance despite challenges.
Accept change: Change can frequently cause anxiety or fear in children and adolescents. It is helpful to assist your child in understanding that change is an inherent aspect of life and that new objectives can take the place of those that are no longer achievable. It is also beneficial to assess the positive aspects of their situation while also formulating a strategy to address the challenges they face.
Improving resilience is an individual journey and it is important to utilize your understanding of your child to support them on their own journey. If your child appears to be struggling or feeling overwhelmed and unable to implement these strategies, consider contacting us at the Mental Wellness Center for support!
