How to Raise a Resilient Child

27th October 2021 Family

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No parent wants to see their child get hurt, either physically and emotionally, but if we never let them struggle or fail, they will never become resilient. They need to learn how to deal with various challenges so that they develop appropriate coping techniques and are able to bounce back from setbacks. Read on for some advice from an independent boys’ school in Richmond.

Photo by Allen Taylor on Unsplash

Encourage Independence 

Give your child some space to solve problems and overcome challenges without your help. This should help them become self-sufficient, as you won’t always be there to save the day when things get tough. Many parents are guilty of swooping in and dealing with various issues on our child’s behalf so that they don’t have to struggle, but unfortunately this won’t help them become resilient. 

Teach Adaptability

Try and find opportunities to explain to your child that life doesn’t always go to plan. Even as adults, we are thrown curve balls on a regular basis that mean we have to change our plans. Teach them how to adapt to new, unexpected situations. 

Promote Extra-Curricular Activities

Encouraging your child to join some extra-curricular activities will help them with their confidence, because they will develop various key life skills and meet lots of new people. Confidence is a major component when it comes to resilience; if your child believes in themselves, they will be better able to move forward when setbacks happen. 

Explore Coping Mechanisms

Help your child understand their emotions and how to deal with them. For instance, if they are angry with a board game, say something like “I can see that you are getting a little frustrated with this game, so why don’t you go into another room and take a breather for a few minutes, and we’ll come back to it later?”. Practising mindfulness is a great way of helping children manage their emotions because it allows them to focus on the present moment, rather than agonising over the past or fretting about the future.