GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – We live in an unpredictable world where the things we see or hear about happening may not always make sense. Wedgwood Christian Services has tips for building resiliency in our kids. To be resilient or to be able to recover and come back from challenging times is an important skill to have. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg have identified seven building blocks for children to develop in order to build resiliency. 

Confidence

Build your child or students confidence by giving them the opportunity to try different things. It is also essential to teach children how to embrace failure. Failure can serve as a learning curve rather than referred to as a disaster. Tell them that you believe they will succeed. If they hear it enough, kids will start to believe it.

Competence

Competence and confidence are intertwined. We can teach and model what this looks like by using skills like communication and self-advocacy. It is imperative that kids have the opportunity to use these skills. Encourage them by saying, “I know you can complete this project because I have seen how hard you work when you have a deadline.”

Control

A crucial factor to developing resilience in our children is the feeling of control. It is fundamental that kids know their actions may result in consequences. Kids should also know they have control of what can happen and that different choices result in different outcomes. While they may be unable to change past actions, they can alter future ones.

Connections

Major setbacks can be manageable with a team on our side. Encourage children to connect with their peers by participating in clubs and youth groups. Also, create strong family bonds with them by letting them know you can help them when needed. It is also beneficial to demonstrate how people can work together to solve issues.

Character

Encourage your child to see themselves as an individual who cares and model the behaviors you want to see in them. It can be helpful even to share stories on how your values have influenced the decisions you have made.

Contribution

Helping kids see the bigger picture in things such as home life and at school can make them more resilient. That is why it is imperative that we give our kids the opportunity to help at home or in the community. This can make them feel more comfortable asking for help when needed.

Coping

It is so important that kids learn how to cope with stress effectively. Kids can bounce back from a setback much quicker due to stress management. Model healthy ways at home to deal with stress though exercise, meditation, or journaling. Encourage kids when they are upset to take a break and implement one of these strategies. 

You can find more helpful tips, information, and how to enroll in one of Wedgwood Christina services here.

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