The ability to be strong, despite the circumstances, is a skill that every child needs to learn in order to overcome obstacles in life. Resilience is the ability of a person to face adversity and transform the situation into a positive experience.
So when we talk about resilience, we are talking about a child’s ability to cope with ups and downs and to recover from challenges that are also experienced during childhood, for example, moving to a new house, changing schools, studying to an exam or dealing with the death of a loved one . The development of resilience helps children not only to cope with current difficulties, which are part of life, but also to develop the basic skills and habits that will help them face the challenges that arise later, during adolescence and Adulthood.
That is why it is indisputable that resilience is important for the mental health of children . Those with greater resilience will be better able to handle stress, which is a common response to tough times. Remember that stress is a risk factor for our mental health, as it can create situations of anxiety and depression if the stress level is severe or continuous over time.
We can all help children to be more resilient, so the good news is that they won’t have to do it alone. Developing children’s resilience is everyone’s business (parents, grandparents, uncles, teachers…) , and it is never too early or too late to start, as we can do some things in our own home.
How can we help the little ones to work and develop resilience? In the next article we will give some guidelines to get started.
Ideas for building resilience in children
One way to explain the concept of resilience is to imagine an airplane encountering turbulence in mid-flight. Turbulence, or bad weather, represents adversity. Different airplanes will respond to bad weather conditions in different ways, in the same way that different children respond to the same adversity in different ways. But what can we do?
- Teach children to have friends
Being able to make and keep friends is important in getting through tough times. Teach them the value of friendship and always give them support at home. At school, make sure the child is not isolated and encourage them to join groups. You can also create moments at home when you can spend time with friends, such as a pajama party or a birthday.
- Keep a daily routine
Routine gives children security and helps them feel cared for, which is very important especially in the little ones. Routines provide peace of mind, decrease stress, and help you find your balance again in difficult times.
- Create methods of escape and fun
Routines and obligations are important, but children must also be taught that it is okay to relax , play, and find sports activities to enjoy and be healthy. This also allows you to free yourself from stress and find positive ways to escape in tense moments.
- Help them set goals
In life it is important to set realistic goals, as this allows us to know ourselves also when setting goals. In addition, goals help children develop the ability to make a plan with dates and doable tasks . It also allows them to celebrate and improve their self-esteem when they reach their goals.
- Teach them to laugh at themselves
Many times we make mistakes and the attitude that one has, in general, is one of shame. If you teach the child to laugh at himself and at his own mistakes, you will also help him to be more tolerant with himself, even more humble and kinder to other people who make mistakes.
- Implement humor in adversity
We remember a lot how other people make us feel in both good times and bad. When humor is based on adverse moments, the lesson of adversity becomes more fixed in the child. Whereas, when we go through difficult moments where sadness takes hold of us, your brain will seek not to remember those moments due to an unconscious and defensive action against pain, so it will not serve as a life lesson. Teaching children to live with a sense of humor is essential for resilience and a happy life!
A wonderful and very important post especially in these times to know what resilience is and how we can promote it from a young age.
Thanks for sharing.