3 Ways of Strengthening Resilience in Kids
How do you raise your kids to be resilient when the challenges you’re all facing aren’t the same as for most other families?
1. Embrace Cultural Roots
Always strive to connect your kids with their cultural heritage because it will give them a strong sense of identity.
Kids who understand where they come from feel like they belong and they have an easier time bouncing back from difficulties. Celebrate the traditions in your culture, teach them about your family’s history, maybe even try to teach them a heritage language.
All of this will help them stay grounded during hardships.
2. Talk About Tough Issues
You can’t bury your head in the sand and pretend like everything’s peachy.
Problems like systemic injustice and abuse happen every day, unfortunately and your kids have to have a safe space to ask questions and understand how these issues can affect them. Openly discuss issues like discrimination or challenges within institutions so that they can face topics like that and understand them.
This will also help them see that there’s a way out and there are resources that work to protect those that are vulnerable.
3. Practice Problem-Solving Skills
A big part of being a resilient person is knowing how to adapt to different situations.
Experience. Adapt. Conquer.
We all love our comfort zones, but there’s no moving forward unless you step out of it. Comfort zones make you feel safe, and this results in your defense dropping. Because of this, when a negative occurrence happens, kids might get caught off-guard, reducing their chances of successfully dealing with the issue.
Encourage your kids to try to solve problems on their own as much as possible and make them understand that new things and unexpected situations don’t necessarily have to be bad just because they’re initially uncomfortable.
Teach them to approach challenges from more than one perspective.
4. Encourage Empathy and Social Awareness
Resilience is more than handling your own problems; you also need to learn to understand what others are going through. Help your children develop empathy and expose them to different cultural experiences and viewpoints.
You can take them to cultural events, read stories from people that come from diverse backgrounds, or talk about how different issues affect different groups of people.
3 Ways for How to Handle Systemic Challenges
Systemic challenges are especially problematic because things like abuse or discrimination can make your child feel unsafe or even traumatized which, as you can imagine, has a lot of impact on how resilient they are.
1. Recognizing Issues in Institutions
Kids sometimes won’t know why some things are happening. And even though, you, as a parent, might think that the situation has been resolved, it really won’t be. Sometimes, children keep those thoughts inside for long periods of time, and it eats them up, without you realizing.
Problems like discrimination and abuse within institutions like schools and even detention centers can have a huge impact on your child and they can carry it even as they grow up.
The reason why this is so serious is because issues of this kind usually stem from deep-rooted problems in the society itself. Be aware that this can happen to anyone so you’re more prepared to address it and support your kids.
2. Legal Support
You and your family don’t have to go through this alone. If your kids are suffering abuse, discrimination, or any other systemic issues, get in contact with a professional like a youth detention abuse lawyer.
They can help you protect your child and guide you through the legal process. It’s a way to stand up against these issues and if your kids see you not backing down and fighting back, it will encourage them to do the same.
3. Practical Tips
Make sure your kids know they have rights and what they are. They should be confident enough to speak up, and if they know they have the right to do so, they’ll do it. Being informed can make all the difference, especially with systemic issues.
Also, let your child know they can talk to you about anything. Your home should be a supportive space where they’ll have an easier time sharing what they experience.
Conclusion
Resilient kids grow up into adults that are able to handle pretty much anything life throws at them, whether it’s unpredictable or not.
This can be tricky for multicultural families, but as long as you help them understand and embrace their roots, they’ll build the identity and strength that will carry them through life.
Talk about them openly about everything, as unpleasant as that can be, and they’ll never be blindsided by the sometimes harsh realities of life.
