Actionable ways to help build resilience in your child

Resilience is the ability to tackle challenges head on and bounce back from setbacks, and it’s something we have to learn as we grow rather than something we’re born with. Resilient children have a positive approach to life and aren’t afraid to try new things, because they’re confident in their abilities. If you want to raise a resilient child who is able to overcome any obstacles in life, read on for some useful tips from a secondary school in Bristol. 

1. Encourage safe risk-taking

If your child never takes risks, they won’t learn what they’re capable of. Prompt your child to step out of their comfort zone whenever possible and try new things, embracing challenges rather than shying away from them. Testing their abilities regularly will boost your child’s self-esteem as they learn they can do things independently. It will also help them feel more confident about tackling future challenges head-on. 

2. Resist the urge to always ‘rescue’ your child

It can be hard as a parent to sit back and watch our children struggling with something, but it’s important that they learn to problem-solve on their own. Encourage them to think through possible solutions to any difficulties they face, and work things out for themselves. Try to resist stepping in to help them if possible, so they don’t rely on you too much to sort things out for them. You could even role play what they might do in certain situations. 

3. Demonstrate resilience yourself

The best way to teach resilience is to model it yourself. If your child sees you approaching difficult situations with optimism and persevering through difficulties, they’ll be more likely to adopt the same behaviour. You can use any tough challenges you face as opportunities to explain to your child that everyone faces obstacles sometimes and it’s important to work through them with determination. Try to think about how you act during stressful moments; respond calmly to the situation and avoid complaining so your child doesn’t think that’s a standard reaction to difficulties. 

4. Explore, understand and validate your child’s feelings

Make sure your child knows that experiencing uncomfortable emotions is normal and that it’s okay to express how they’re feeling. Validating how they feel will help children understand that they matter and they’re important, which will in turn boost their confidence when it comes to facing new or challenging situations. 

Turning tough moments into learning experiences and resisting the urge to save your child all the time teaches them to be accountable for their own actions, which is a large part of being resilient.