How to Raise a Resilient Child

Resilience allows children to adapt well to difficult situations. Children who are raised with a resilient mid-set will not only feel more self-confident, but they will also be better equipped to deal with life’s challenges.

So how do you help your child to become more resilient? Here are some great tips from a co-educational collection of schools in central London…

Be a positive parent

Children learn how to behave by watching their parents, so it is vital that you role model a ‘can do’ attitude for your child to follow. Encourage positivity, gratefulness and motivation in your daily life to help your child face difficult situations.

Encourage a growth mind-set

Explain the meaning of the word ‘resilience’ to your child and teach them how to practice a ‘growth mind-set’. A growth mind-set is really useful for children because it will support them through many challenges and setbacks. Children with a growth mind-set believe that their abilities will improve over time, which motivates them to keep trying.  They can also view mistakes as learning opportunities.

Let them be independent

To help your child develop a resilient attitude, you will need to trust them with more responsibility. Allowing your child to do more on their own will not only help them to learn, but it will also make them feel more confident. Ask your child to do some simple jobs around the house, such as feeding a pet or doing the recycling. This will increase their feelings of competency.

Practise gratitude

Practise gratitude with your child as often as possible. This will help them to see all of the positives in their life. Gratitude is such a helpful technique for improving mental health and maintaining a resilient attitude. A simple way for your child to practise gratitude is writing a gratitude journal. This is where they write down a list of things they feel thankful for each day.

Be supportive

Discuss your child’s feelings and be there for your child when they need reassurance. You should also chat about their hopes for the future and look at what steps they will need to take in order to reach their goals. It is important that your child knows they always have your support and guidance to follow their dreams.

Thanks for reading xxx