Four Tips for Building Resilience in Children

Many parents have kids who suffer from children’s anxiety. Developing resilience is crucial during a child’s formative years, providing them with the coping skills they need to respond to stress and anxiety in a healthy way. Luckily, kids of all ages can build resilience over time. By changing the inner wiring of the brain through experience, children have the capability to shape their individual, intrinsic characteristics in a way that strengthens their resilience and reduces their anxiety.

Here are some of the ways kids can conquer stress and build resilience skills that they can use throughout their entire life.

Remember that kids can’t do it alone

Kids can’t learn how to build resilience alone. It takes at least one supportive relationship for kids to develop the coping skills they need to face fear and anxiety and truly thrive in life. The presence of a responsive, caring adult is crucial for dealing with difficult situations. In many cases, a caring relationship can even reverse some of the psychological effects that are activated by stress and fear.

If you can be there for your child, no matter what tough situations they’re going through, you ensure that their brain, body and even immune system are safe from the harmful effects of anxiety.

Provide open lines of communication

Kids need to know that they have someone they can trust to have their back during stressful situations. Many children have been taught to tough it out, but true strength means knowing when to ask for help. Maintain open communication, and let your child know that they’re always encouraged to ask for help, whether it’s from you, a teacher, a coach or even a neighbor.

Explore the benefits of exercise

Exercise is key for reducing children’s anxiety. It boosts neurochemical activity in their developing brains, helping them naturally calm their mind during stressful moments. Any type of exercise offers plenty of benefits for kids, but if you can make it fun, it’s even better. Every time you take your kid out for an afternoon of baseball, Frisbee, basketball or soccer, or when you simply take your dog for a walk, you’ll likely notice a boost in mood—not just for them but also for you.

Promote positivity and optimism

Modeling a positive mindset is another great way to set kids on a path toward resiliency. One thing resilient people have in common is optimism, and the brain can be rewired to be more optimistic through experiences in life. If you have a child who has a glass-half-empty way of thinking, try to show them another perspective without invalidating how they feel. Introduce them to a new way of thinking, and let them take it from there.

Building resilience is one of the best ways for kids to cope with stress and children’s anxiety. Get in touch with the staff at Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center to learn more about helping your child gain the important life skills and concepts that are necessary for healthy development and growth.