*This is a collaborative post
Resilience is an important trait because it’s what allows us to cope well with the inevitable ups and downs of life. This could be anything from a challenging project at work or school, a death in the family or moving house. With that said, it’s essential for parents to find ways to help their children develop a sense of resilience from a young age. If you’re unsure where to start, here are some tips from a prep school in West London.
Be a Good Role Model
The best way to teach your child to be resilient is to show them how its done. Try and model healthy coping mechanisms and an optimistic approach to challenges. For example, if you have a job interview coming up, don’t talk to your child about how nervous you are. Instead, talk to them about how you are feeling confident because you have done a lot of preparation, and if you don’t get the job there will be another, better one on the horizon.
Don’t Dwell on Failings
We all fail sometimes, but if you dwell on your child’s failings and punish them or demonstrate disappointment, they will feel self-conscious and won’t have the confidence to take on new challenges in the future. To help build resilience, try and embrace your child’s failings and teach them that they are something to be learnt from.
Provide a Supportive Environment
Make sure your child knows they can come to you for help or a shoulder to cry on should they ever need to. If they don’t feel comfortable coming to you with all of their personal problems, let them know that there are other people who are willing to support them, like a sibling, grandparent, teacher, or anyone else who cares about their wellbeing. If they feel they have someone fighting their corner, they will have the strength to overcome challenges.
