How to Raise a Resilient Child*

The past few years have taught us that life can have unexpected twists and turns and it has been our resilience that has seen us through. This is a vital life skill for our children to be taught so that they can bounce back from tough times. We have partnered with a prep school in East Sussex to share tips on how to raise a resilient child.

Work with Risk and Not Without

Not removing all risks from your child’s life can create a safe space to encounter problems and exercise problem-solving skills. This doesn’t mean feeding them to the tigers but allowing for some risks like riding a bike for the first time without training wheels.

Not Giving the Answers to Everything

When your child asks you a question, instead of providing the answer, get them to find it out for themselves. This will stop them from having a reliance on you to always have the answer, think proactively and become a better problem solver.

Being Less Negative Around Your Child

As parents that have a natural tendency to over-worry about our children, we can often catastrophise the bad. This can make things like walking home from school alone seem scarier than they actually are and instil fear in our children. Instead, make them aware of the potential consequences but try not to dwell on them.

Create a Safe Space to Fail

Instead of being tempted to perfect everything like a school project for your child, allow them to make their own mistakes. This will teach them the skill of how to learn from their mistakes and move on from them.

Words of Encouragement

With all that said, words of encouragement are just as important to help them navigate through hard emotions. Reassure your child that when things go wrong it’s okay and that there is always next time. This will slowly help your child to build confidence and positive self-talk to become a resilient individual.