IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO RAISE RESILIENT KIDS

Tag: BestDaycare | AffordableDaycare | InfantDaycare | Goodpreschool | AffordablePreschool
1/3/22

From 0 - 2 years babies are totally dependent on their caregivers making the good emotional health of the caregiver critically important.   Everything that little ones do from day one is brand new and they will most likely fail at each step over and over again.   These tiny efforts that will be repeated over and over until they get it right, must be encouraged and praised, normalizing the fact that they are supposed to get it wrong a few times. 

When babies are given this caring and happy support and encouragement, they will build up the confidence to try again, therefore building up resilience and eventually give them inner strength to keep trying as they get older and come up against challenges of any sort.

Of course, putting this into practice can be very repetitive and tiring!   Caregivers must make sure that they are tending to their own needs prioritizing self care.   This will give you the strength needed to constantly encourage, comfort and shower babies with affection and love that they need to build confidence as they grow.   Just the simple act of socializing with friends or exercising and going for short walks can be very therapeutic for adults who are caring for little ones.

Toddlers
Toddlers will soon learn their limitations when they try something that is new and they think they are invincible.   As tasks become more challenging and they insist on doing things themselves, it is a great idea to let them attempt the task and eventually realize they can ask for help halfway through.   Feeling like it’s acceptable to ask for help is a healthy sign.   Say she is on a walk and wants to carry her own water bottle, let her do so to start and then when she asks for help, you can step in as it gets too heavy.   It’s good for them to experience a little frustration so that they can face challenging tasks and situations later on.

Offering new foods and textures may not go down well in the beginning but this doesn’t mean you must give up immediately.   Keep offering little bites like avocado or sweet potato throughout the week and eventually they may enjoy the texture and enjoy the flavors.

From 2-7 years kids will start to string together whole sentences and will explore their independence.   Everyday tasks or excursions could become major battle grounds.   This important learning time will lay the foundation for how they think about resolving conflicts in the future.  At this time the feelings of others and the dangers involved are beyond their grasp.   Choosing boots over sandals, hitting a playmate with a toy, or holding your hand to cross the road - these types of choices can be screaming matches if not handled delicately and safely. 

Of course, these situations need adult intervention but can be handled where the child still feels they are given some choice.   A good example: Your child wants to hold the leash of your hefty bulldog as you walk across the road.  Offer the child a choice of holding the leash when you are inside the park, or else you can walk the dog together, both holding the leash.   Providing an easy win for them is safer and less confrontational.

Healthy risk taking during their playtime will teach children to experiment with new problems and how to solve them on their own.  Playing team sports is the ideal arena for praising their wins and accomplishments but it’s a better idea to praise their behavior when they help a teammate up when he falls or they encourage a friend when he misses a catch.   Learn to ride a bike on the grass in the park before you venture out onto the concrete.   Children will always be influenced by your behaviour so try not to show frustration and anger at each problem.   Stop, think, breathe and calm your mind before trying to manage conflicts and uncomfortable problems.

These are all small opportunities to build healthy coping skills for children.   If you feel at any time they are not coping with certain problems or motor skills, having outbursts that consistently disrupt the family, or have overly aggressive behaviours with peers, always talk to your pediatrician to check that the milestones are being reached within the average window.   Children of this age will push their boundaries but failing to develop the ability to listen as they grow older is problematic and you should seek professional guidance.