Wellbeing 

The importance of allowing children to struggle ~

Why would I be writing on such a topic when our children have had so much justifiable cause to be struggling, during the past eighteen months? Not only children, but adults as well!!

When a child asks for help, what is our instinctive response? Very often it will be to want to come to their rescue, perhaps even more so now than ever before? 

However, before we do jump in, perhaps we need to stop and ask ourselves whether sparing the child from struggling will help or hinder them in the long run? 

Depending upon our own mindset, struggling with something will be viewed as a challenge to overcome; an unpleasant and uncomfortable thing to endure or something in between. 

However, something that we do learn in time is that without our struggles there would be limited growth or development. In addition, it is unlikely we could reach our full potential. Ultimately, struggling assists in developing persistence; building resilience and improving problem solving skills. All attributes we would naturally desire for every child. 

Ashley Cullins of ‘Big Life Journal’ has defined seven reasons why it’s important to allow a child to struggle:

For all these very good reasons, next time a child asks for help, pause and check whether what they desire from us is in their very best interests. 

Instead, they may need our support to struggle through and come out on the other side with a stronger sense of self achievement and improved self-confidence. 

Anne Lawry

Chaplain