A positive sense of self worth for resilience
“Success begets success” – Anonymous
When we and our children are faced with difficulties, it can be helpful to remind ourselves or our children that we have been resilient and coped with hardships in the past. Having experienced successful coping or support in the past builds hope and confidence that current hardships can also be overcome. Even if your child has not faced significant challenges previously, help them to identify how they managed smaller issues as each problem is faced and solved builds on our ability to face future problems. This leads back to a previous factor of encouraging your child to make their own decisions or problem solve, with support as required, as your child will be able to draw on past problem solving plans to help with the current challenges. Other things supportive adults can do to help build a positive sense of self worth and resilience in children include:
- encourage your child to use positive thinking and a “can do” attitude. Saying “I think I can” can help boost motivation to try to manage an issue rather than “I can’t…” which is giving up before giving it a go.
- teach your child to see humour in life, and foster the ability to laugh at one’s self (laughing with, not at)
- teach your child to learn to trust their own ideas, decisions and problem solving plans, and provide support as needed
- Talk with your child about the things they are good at, their strengths, and how those strengths can be used in different situations
- Read stories and/or watch shows that model children demonstrating positive expectations and efforts when faced with difficulties
- Help children notice how their individual accomplishments can help others also, at home, school, in the community – offer to help someone out with an act of kindness
