How to Raise a Resilient Kid

Why is it that some kids flourish even in the face of adversity? It’s resilience. This is an important trait to cultivate in your child at a young age so they are able to overcome major stumbling blocks later on in life. Raising resilient children is something that you need to focus on so that your child can thrive despite facing major hurdles in life.

What Does it Take to Be Resilient?

Resiliency is when you face a seemingly insurmountable challenge, yet you push on instead of simply giving up. This is one of the traits you need to develop in your child as they grow up. It is also a great way to teach them how to be independent.

But what does it take to become a resilient child?

• A resilient child is someone who is optimistic. This particular mindset allows a child to look at challenges as an opportunity to grow or learn. They are not discouraged by it, but rather see it as a problem they need to solve.
• A resilient child is also socially adept. They are able to form close bonds with those around them and are never afraid to seek help when they need it.
• A resilient child has control over their life rather than allowing their situation to control them.
• A resilient child believes that they serve an important purpose that gives their life meaning.

When it comes to fostering positive traits in your child, there is no such thing as starting too early. You need to develop these traits early so they can view life through the right lens, and you can set them up for success later on in life.

10 Tips for Raising Resilient Children

There is no secret formula for raising resilient children. With these ten tips, you can help your child to become more resilient as they grow older.

1. Don’t accommodate every need.

As a parent, it is your natural instinct to provide for their every need. It’s your responsibility, after all. But you need to draw the line between providing their basic needs and giving them everything they ask from you.

2. Show empathy.

Always pay attention to your child’s feelings and let them know they are understood. This will give them confidence that they have somewhere to turn to for comfort and support. Empathy is a crucial aspect of raising resilient children since they develop a healthy view of relationships and are able to show compassion.

3. Learn to stand back.

When you see your kids struggle – whether it’s homework or doing certain tasks – a parent would want to step in to help them out. However, the best way to make your children more resilient is to allow them to cope with their own problems. You need to step back and watch them figure things out on their own.

4. Teach them life skills.

You need to train your child to perform everyday tasks on their own. You need to give them confidence that even when you are not around, they will be able to thrive on their own.

5. Help them see opportunities in every challenge.

You can empathize with your kids, but you need to focus on moving them into action. Teach them to adopt a “can-do” attitude. This will help them thrive, even in the face of adversity.

6. Teach them the value of learning lessons from mistakes.

When your child commits a mistake, focus on the learning opportunity behind it. This will give your kids confidence and a sense of optimism that is crucial for success. When they venture into the real world, they won’t be easily frustrated when things don’t go their way.

7. Don’t eliminate all risks.

Naturally, as a parent, your goal is to keep your kids safe all the time. But you need to be careful not to become over-protective. You cannot be there all the time to protect them, so you have to teach them how to survive on their own.

8. Emphasize their role in achieving their own success.

You have to make it known to your child that they have to rely on themselves – not anyone else – for success. Don’t try to solve their problems for them. Allow them to figure out how they need to do things.

9. Encourage your child to stick to their goals.

In connection with the above, kids might feel easily frustrated when they make mistakes. But aside from making your kids realize that they are their own ticket to success, it also teaches them about committing to a goal. Make them understand that while one method failed, they can try out other methods of reaching their goal.

10. Model resiliency.

How do you expect to be raising resilient children when you give up in the face of adversities in life? Be a good example to your kids by practicing what you preach. Kids learn a lot by observing their parents’ behavior. You cannot teach your kids one thing and then behave another way.

Raising Resilient Children: Pitfalls to Avoid

As a parent, you want your child to be resilient, but there are certain mistakes you must avoid. Here are some of them:

• Making sure that your child always succeeds. It is good to aim for success, but you have to understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process.
• Trying to dictate their emotions. You want your kids to acknowledge their emotions so they can learn to cope with them. Do not force them to feel a certain way.
• Being too rigid. Helping your kids grow to become resilient is not the same as being disconnected from them emotionally.
• Being too overprotective. Give your child the freedom – to feel a certain way, to commit a mistake, or to explore. You can’t help them grow if you try to do too much for them.

Teaching resilience is critical. You need to learn how to balance your approach so that your kid is able to overcome common hurdles but they do not end up being too stubborn in the process.