How to Raise a Resilient Child

With a pandemic, huge changes to normal life and plenty of common struggles in school for your child to tackle - it can admittedly be a lot for them to handle. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a curveball for a lot of children if they’re not able to be resilient and focused, but with that and other stresses in life, it can be difficult without proper direction.

 

In this guide, we look at ways to develop resilience in your child, courtesy of this prep school in Hertfordshire.

Teach your child to recognise feelings

When children can name and describe their emotions, they’re more likely to connect these feelings towards strategies that will make them become more focused individuals. Speak to them about these feelings and suggest ways that they can combat negative thoughts or emotions. Examples of ways to handle emotions are meditating, doing exercise, going for a walk or helping around the home - activities that distract the mind.

Build a supportive relationship with your child

Promote a positive environment for your child so that they feel comfortable and more likely to open up to you if they feel upset or have a number of conflicting thoughts. Show them that it’s okay to be upset about things but also encourage openness between each other. The more you encourage this, the better your child will be at handling different situations.

Show your child coping strategies

At some point, your child will struggle with something where you’re unable to help. In these situations, it’s wise to practice coping mechanisms. Having a series of strategies in your child’s bank can be used to refer to when they’re handling bouts of stress or feeling overwhelmed will help when you’re not around. Suggest going for walks, take part in regular sports activities and extracurricular activities to help test their social skills and handling areas of conflict. Remind them to access these when they’re in distress, but also show that you’re a phone call away should they need you.

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