The following article preview was originally published on PsychCentral, a leading mental health new site. It includes commentary from Linewize's cyber safety and digital wellness expert, Teodora Pavkovic.
“Resilience” is a buzzword that seemingly everyone uses, but not everyone resonates with it.
For some people, the expectation of being resilient in the face of adversity or trauma can cause emotional harm.
Resilience is not a one-size-fits-all concept. When raising “resilient kids,” resilience is not necessarily a state to strive for. Rather, it’s about teaching kids specific tools and coping strategies to cultivate:
self-efficacy
trust
kindness
emotional regulation skills
adaptability
healthy relationships
relationship skills
Every kid has some degree of resilience. Research from 2011 and 2021 suggests that neurobiological processes and genetic underpinnings may help explain why some kids are more naturally “resilient” than others.
Of course, resilience can’t be fully addressed without factoring in social determinants like systemic racism, socioeconomic status, and mental and physical health, not to mention the clinical implications of an ongoing global pandemic.
Still, there are ways to raise resilient kids by teaching them how to adapt to and recover from the usual ups and downs of young life. Whether you call it “resilience” or not, you can learn what kids need to succeed and thrive throughout their developmental years to achieve mental and physical well-being in adulthood and beyond.
Learn more about what resilience really means, why some children are more resilient than others, how to raise resilient children, and more at PsychCentral.