Mental Health & Wellbeing
Resilience
Resilience is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. Being resilient does not mean that people don’t experience stress, emotional upheaval, and suffering. Some people equate resilience with mental toughness, but demonstrating resilience includes working through emotional pain and suffering.
Resilience is important because it gives people the strength needed to process and overcome hardship. Those lacking resilience get easily overwhelmed, and may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Resilient people tap into their strengths and support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems.
Resilience is not something that can be measured or attained with a one-size-fits-all model. Fortunately though, Paediatrician Ken Ginsberg has developed The 7 Cs resilience model was developed to help children and adolescents build resilience. Learning competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control is how Ginsberg says we can build inner strength and utilize outside resources — regardless of age.
School TV addresses the importance of resilience and the role it plays in positive mental health. Our kids need to experience adversity to build the skills to work through life’s challenges.
10 Tips for Raising
Resilient Kids
- Don’t accommodate every need
- Avoid eliminating all risk
- Teach them to problem-solve
- Teach your kids concrete skills
- Avoid “why” questions
- Don’t provide all the answers
- Avoid talking in catastrophic terms
- Let your kids make mistakes
- Help them manage their emotions
- Model resiliency
For more information on the importance of resilience building for our young people, I encourage you to go to:
Rachel Smith | College Counsellor