Allied Health

By Ryo Sugihara

In a previous newsletter we began to explore the concept of resilience through its definition and an introduction to the 7Cs of resilience. In this follow-up article we will delve into how we as adults can help nurture the 7Cs within children to help build resilience.

Here is a quick quiz to see if you can remember what each of the 7Cs were about! See if you can match each of the 7Cs to its correct definition.

Connection	Responding and managing our emotions in a healthy and productive ways.
2. Competence	Thinking and acting in alignment with our core beliefs and values.
3. Confidence	Having a sense of purpose in life and using our strengths to give back to the world.
4. Coping	Understanding what we can and cannot influence and being empowered to act on what we can have impact on.
5. Character	Knowing your support network and having the means to maintain these relationships.
6. Control	Applying developed skills to help accomplish a goal or deal with difficult situations.
7. Contribution	Being sure of oneself and one’s ability.
Answers: 1e, 2f, 3g, 4a, 5b, 6d, 7c

So how can we build resilience in children? As a way of answering this question, we can look to the above building blocks of resilience and see how we can help to develop each one. You may find that some children excel in particular components but may need support in others, whilst some may need support in all areas.

Below are some tips on what you can do to help your child develop resilience.

Competence

Help identify and build on your child’s strengths.
Allow opportunities for your child to make safe mistakes and recover from them independently.
Acknowledge achievements and successes openly.
Encourage curiosity, and allow your child to explore different options for problem-solving rather than providing a solution.

Confidence

Praise your child for what they have done, giving specific examples rather than general statements such as “good job”.
Help your child recognise their small successes and how these small successes can lead to big outcomes.
Highlight their personal qualities such as fairness, honesty, persistence and kindness as being equally as important as their achievements.

Connection

Be your child’s main person for emotional security; allow them to express all of their feelings with you, and accept and support these so that they feel heard.
When conflict arises, address these rather than letting them fester. Model with your child how to resolve relationship conflicts through conversation.
Model healthy relationships by showing how you interact with others in a respectful way.
Encourage your child to build close relationships by providing them opportunities to do so.

Character

Allow you child to explore their personal identity; they are their own individual and not a mini version of you.
Share your values and beliefs with your child and be open to questions, even if they may be challenging.
Encourage your child to weigh pros and cons, right and wrong when making choices. Model this when you make decisions too.
Be a role model. Ensure your actions align with what you say to your child.

Contribution

Model generosity with your time, energy and resources, for instance by participating in volunteering activities.
Encourage your child to take on roles and responsibilities, whether it be at home or in other social situations.
Acknowledge your child’s contribution by expressing your gratitude and specifically stating what they did and how it impacted you positively.

Coping

Work with your child to understand the different degrees of a crisis: is it a real crisis or does it just feel like one in the moment?
Model self-care at home. Demonstrate how you cope with strong emotions, talk about it and allow your child to join you if you feel comfortable to do so.
Offer ideas for healthy coping strategies such as journaling, art or exercise. Encourage your child to explore different options to find what works best for them.

Control

Help your child recognise their small successes so they know they can succeed.
Balance responsibility with freedom; if you expect your child to show greater responsibility, it is natural for your child to expect increasing freedom and autonomy.
Offer choices and opportunities to voice their opinions, particularly on matters that impact your child directly.

These tips merely scrape the surface of the 7Cs of resilience and are most certainly not an exhaustive list. However, I hope this provides an entry point into what you could do to help your child build resilience.

As a member of the Allied Health team at Glen Waverley Primary School, I would love to hear feedback from you and the school community! If there are any particular topics you would like us to explore in future newsletters, please feel free to email me on ryo.sugihara@education.vic.gov.au.

Ryo Sugihara

School Counsellor and TSL Teaching and Learning Leader