Children can learn that failing isn't final - it’s feedback, so they can try again with more information. At Hopes & Dreams, we know children will need resilience throughout life, and their early years are the ideal time to create a blueprint for this inner strength.
Children need the skills to deal with setbacks, big and small, adapt to changes in their schedules and lifestyles, and maintain a positive outlook throughout.
Supporting the natural development of resilience is an important way to prepare children for adult life, and there are some crucial ways to foster it as they grow.
The 6Rs: A Holistic Approach to Development
The 6Rs framework supports the holistic development of your children, giving them an all-round set of skills, knowledge and experiences to rely on as they progress through childhood. The 6Rs include:
- Relationships - Creating and maintaining relationships that are respectful and enjoyable.
- Responsiveness - Being aware of cues and needs and knowing how to react around others.
- Reflection - Learning from experiences to avoid making the same mistakes and build confidence.
- Resourcefulness - Encouraging independent problem-solving, along with an explorative attitude that can help them find answers they don’t already have.
- Resilience - Helping children bounce back from the challenges they face day to day.
- Remembering - Allowing children to develop core memory skills and learn from repeated experiences.
These skills aren’t separated, they’re learned alongside each other, blending together. Resilience is not an isolated skill, either. It’s interconnected with other social-emotional skills, problem-solving abilities, and a positive self-image.
What is Resilience?
It can be hard to define what resilience is, especially to your little ones! But having a clear definition is important, so your children know what they’re learning and why.
We define resilience as the ability to cope with adversity, to adapt to change, and maintain a positive outlook even in difficult situations.
It’s important that we acknowledge that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges. Instead, it’s about learning to navigate difficulties in a huge range of real-life scenarios.
It’s about giving your children the willingness to try at something, even if they’ve failed before - or they’re not sure how to accomplish their goal or solve their problem.
Resilience is important for their mental well-being throughout life, and not just when it comes to achieving goals. Being able to face problems or setbacks with an attitude of ‘learn something and try again’ is invaluable as they enter early childhood, one of their most formative years of learning these essential life skills.
Building Resilience in Early Childhood
So why does your child need to learn resilience in early childhood? Well, a child who hasn’t learnt to be resilient against common problems could certainly struggle to get through difficult situations without feeling defeated, hopeless or developing low self-esteem.
With a resilient mindset, children can take on challenges big and small, knowing that they can get to the other side.
Resilience can be nurtured in young children through everyday experiences:
Age-appropriate challenges
Allowing children to experience age-appropriate challenges and take risks, like solving a puzzle on their own even if they’re struggling. Give them time and encouragement to keep trying on their own without stepping in immediately.
Trustworthy guidance
Allow for space to take on challenges independently, but be there to offer guidance they can rely on. Offer compassionate support and guidance, also giving children space to problem-solve on their own.
Modelling a resilient attitude
Parents and caregivers can model a positive attitude towards setbacks and demonstrate healthy coping mechanisms, like pausing for breathing exercises or talking about what they’re feeling and what they want.
Giving praise
Praising effort and perseverance, not just focusing on getting things right or achieving the goal. Give praise for effort and creativity, regardless of the outcome. For example, if a child builds a tower but the tower falls down, they still deserve praise for coming up with the idea of a tower, even if it fell.
Discovering Emotions
Help children identify and express their emotions in healthy ways. You can help by validating feelings in these moments, too. Avoid saying things like ‘it’s silly to get upset about that’; instead, acknowledge the emotion and allow the child to let the emotion out in a safe space.
Equip with coping strategies
Showing them what to do when they’re overwhelmed. Show them skills like blowing bubbles (which encourages deep breathing), deep breaths, and taking a break away from friends who are upsetting you.
How You Can Promote Resilience At Home
The nursery isn’t the only place where your child can build their resilience. At home, you can keep the learning going in everyday activities like…
- Encouraging independence and responsibility by letting them choose their bedtime book or shoes for the day.
- Talking about emotions and helping children develop coping strategies, giving them little deep breathing breaks if they get stressed in the shops and letting them name what they feel.
- Having a supportive home environment for everyone in the household - even pets! Hearing support for themselves and others makes it all-encompassing and models their ideal behaviours.
- Read stories about characters who overcome challenges. Add in books to their routine that feature stories of difficulties they’re likely to face too.
- Celebrate small victories and focus on progress, not perfection. This helps children see that effort and improvement matter most.
Building Resilience In Children…
Resilience is a vital life skill that can be nurtured in early childhood, but it will last them a lifetime. Resilient children are confident, adaptable and emotionally regulated individuals. At Hopes & Dreams, we’re committed to fostering this resilience in every child.
Want to learn more about the 6Rs and how they can support your child’s development? Read our last blog on building relationships here.
