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5 Ways to Instil Resilience in Your Child

Imagine if Thomas Alva Edison gave up trying to invent the light bulb. We wouldn't be able to enjoy the beauty and convenience of manmade light today. After trying and failing 1000 times, in the end it is Edison's perseverance and tenacity that paid off.

Resilience is having the strength and ability to adapt to change and challenges faced. It is important that we instill this trait in our children to prepare them for the world when they grow up so they are better equipped to overcome challenges and be competitive in their careers.

The following are five ways to ingrain this quality in your child:

If at first you don't succeed, try again
A journalist once asked Edison, “How does it feel to fail a thousand times?”. Edison simply answered: “I didn’t fail a thousand times. The lightbulb is an invention that required 1000 attempts before it could succeed.” Just like Edison, your child must understand that failure is delayed success. Remind your child that the most important thing is to learn from their mistakes in order to do better next time.

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Hone their problem-solving skills
As a parent, it is a good idea not to readily lend a helping hand or give the answers the minute they are stuck on a problem. Let your child explore and come up with the solution. When it comes to homeworks, let them try alternative ways to come to a solution. If they are truly stuck, point them in the right way and let them do the rest.
Teach them to be patient
Teach your child to be patient as early on as possible by instilling discipline. In a psychological experiment conducted in 1968 in Columbia University, Walter Mischel, Ph.D. discovered that disciplined children who were prepared to wait before they can eat marshmallows were more successful and able to handle stress in college.
Gratitude is key
Tell your child not to focus on failing or the fear of failing itself. Remind them to be grateful for their blessings and use these blessings as motivation for rising
Teach them to share and do meaningful things for others
The moment your child is taught the concept of sharing and how to add value to the lives of other people, he or she will learn the important things that are worth fighting for and to never give up in the process. Remind them that their resilience is making you a proud parent. Ensure you express your pride for them not only when they are celebrating the small victories, but also when they are failing. Trying requires courage, and this is something worth being proud of.

Ensuring your child becomes resilient starts with quality education.