Resilience is the ability to recover from oneself after having suffered adverse circumstances. In other words, the personal ability to cope with negative situations in the best possible way.
Although it is a fairly abstract concept and difficult to explain, resilience should be encouraged in children because it is essential for proper management of emotions. I am not referring properly to the concept of resilience but to how to develop and experience it in their lives.
In the environment in which we live it is important that children know how to recover from difficulties and are prepared to face their challenges.
How to build resilience in children
Resilience develops as the child grows, providing very useful tools to face the challenges of adolescence and adulthood.
Fundamental aspects to promote resilience in our children:
- The routines.Daily routines give children security, especially the little ones. They allow them to know in advance the temporal sequences of the most everyday actions.
- Healthy habits.From a young age we must learn the importance of taking care of our health through the acquisition of healthy habits (food, rest, exercise, etc.). A healthy and balanced diet is key to having a good immune system.
La Self esteem
Difficulties strengthen us and prepare us to face future challenges. We must build our children's confidence in themselves and in their abilities to cope with problems. If we parents habitually solve all the difficulties of our children, the message we are sending them is that they are not capable of doing it themselves. This increases your insecurity and lowers your tolerance for frustration.
Personal and family relationships
All children need to feel loved, respected, and accepted. Feeling family and social support will strengthen their resilience and encourage them to express their emotions and experiences. According to Dr Kenneth Ginsburg "children need to know that there is an adult in their life who believes in them and who loves them unconditionally." This pediatrician is one of the contributors to the guide created by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help parents build resilience in their children. (Building Resilience in Children. HealthyChildren).
How to teach a child to be resilient
- Self-knowledge. After facing a difficult situation it is time to reflect on how you have acted and what you have learned. These types of reflections will help the child to grow and know himself better.
- Gratitude. Another key to building resilience is to make children see all the good things they have in their lives and feel grateful for it.
- Positivity. As parents we must foster a positive and serene attitude in our children when facing problems and changes. Although at that moment the world seems to be sinking, we know that calm will return later. Bad things also have a positive side and changes are part of life.
- The goals. Encourage your child to set some goals that are realistic and achievable. Reaching those goals is one way to experience the feeling of accomplishment. It teaches them to be more constant and fighters in the face of life's challenges.
Benefits of building resilience in children
- It allows you to absorb the positive of each moment or experience of life.
- It helps to assume extreme situations with some flexibility.
- Teaches how to deal with problems using personal skills.
- Strengthens in the face of adversity.
- Helps to get the best out of yourself.
- Promotes personal growth
- Boosts self-esteem
A resilient child will know how to withstand pressure, he will learn to cope with his problems with a sense of humor and you will know how to act to feel calm if you are overwhelmed. You will use your personal skills to cope with conflict situations and use your experiences in a positive way.
In short, you will better face the adversities of life, you will know how to overcome them and make the most of them.