Resilience is the ability to adapt well to serious difficulties and overcome serious stress and trauma. Building children’s resilience aids in the development of the necessary skills and habits that will help them deal with adversity in the imminent years (Harvard University, n.d.). Regardless of the powerful early experiences they encounter, some children are not bothered by early stress. They are then said to be’ resilient’ or ‘invincible’. According to Berger (2018), the dynamic –systems theory emphasizes that no one is free from past occurrences or current happenings.
Children who develop resilience are often in at least a single committed and stable correlation with their guardians, teachers, parents, or caregivers. The stable relationships give the children personalized protection, responsiveness, and safety that prevents developmental disturbance. They also develop necessary individual capacities, such as the capacity to monitor and plan behaviors that help them adapt and thrive in adversity (American Psychological Association (APA), 2020). Constant stresses and repeated traumatic experiences make it difficult for children to be resilient. It is more likely for children who go through traumatic experiences to regain their emotional normality in the presence of an affectionate caregiver and stable daily routines (Berger, 2018). For example, children who come from homeless families in the United States are lower in academic achievement, slower to make friendships, and have poor physiological capacity such as blood pressure, weight, and cortisol levels.
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A favorable combination of biology and social environments builds a child’s potential to deal with adverse situations and prevail over healthy development obstacles. Some resilience factors come from within, while some are dependent on interactions with friends, family, and the community. A child’s interpretation of their circumstances is crucial in the development of strength (Berger, 2018). Some children consider the adverse condition a temporary obstacle and look forward to better days ahead. Success stories of individuals who children who faced traumatic experiences in their childhood and eventually thrived are Oprah Winfrey and Abraham Lincoln.
Resilience can be built up at any stage in a child’s life. However, the human brain and other biological systems can adapt early in life. Several health-promoting activities, such as regular physical exercise, help build resilience in both children and adults. Stress sometimes offers opportunities for children to grow physically and mentally. Over time they are then able to develop a thick skin for challenging situations.
References
American Psychological Association (APA). (2020, August 26). Resilience guide for parents and teachers . https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience-guide-parents
Berger, K. (2018). The developing person through the life span (8th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.
Harvard University. Resilience . Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Retrieved 12 January 2021, from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/resilience/#:~:text=You%20Are%20Here%3A%20Resilience&text=Reducing%20the%20effects%20of%20significant,hardship%2C%20while%20others%20do%20not .
