Nurturing Resilience: Guiding Your Child’s Journey of Growth and Independence

It’s often true that we encounter multiple hurdles and setbacks before finally succeeding. Looking back on your child’s journey, you can recall moments when they tried and failed in various areas before ultimately succeeding in walking, learning to write, feeding themselves, riding a bike, and more. Let’s explore the process of a child learning to walk.

In order for a child to learn to walk, they must develop and exhibit certain attitudes. Curiosity plays a crucial role as it drives them to explore their surroundings and reach new things. Walking empowers them to move independently instead of relying on others, which is why once children start walking, it becomes challenging to keep them in one place. Walking is not an easy task; it involves wobbling and falling. Yet, children are fearless as they take those steps into the unknown, striving to maintain balance and embracing falls as part of the learning process. At the core of it all is their determination to move freely and overcome challenges, enabling them to explore new frontiers. Let’s face it, once a child starts walking, it brings about changes as things are no longer as they were before. You can no longer confine your child to a walker, and adjustments must be made around the house.

What drives your child to accomplish these tasks is nothing short of resilience. The time, practice, falls, and the determination to keep going and try again exemplify the art of resilience. It is this very resilience that powers their physical and mental skills to master the art of walking. Providing a similar environment and support in other areas of your child’s life will help them immensely. Encourage their curiosity to look beyond the barriers of current challenges, fostering a desire to explore new horizons. Instill fearlessness, ensuring they believe that challenges won’t overcome them, but with determination, they will prevail. Embrace the fact that change is natural and part of growth. Remember, you cannot walk for your child, just as you didn’t move their legs to help them learn. What you can do is offer support, letting them know that with a strong motive and resilience, even if they fall seven times, they must rise again. This applies to all areas of life, whether academics, relationships, or personal achievements. Your child should understand that the sun that set yesterday will rise tomorrow.

A word of caution: Avoid being an overly protective parent or guardian. Despite good intentions, refrain from fighting your child’s battles. Exercise self-control and resist the urge to step in, as it can be counterproductive. As your child grows up, it’s important to allow them to build resilience by facing their own challenges and developing independence. By not teaching them to stand up and fight their own battles, you hinder their growth and send negative messages that stifle their independence. When your child fights their battles, they are developing resilience and autonomy. This development of resilience and autonomy, a sense of independence and self-control, contributes to their ability to face future challenges head-on and bounce back when needed. In the lifecycle of a butterfly, even when help is offered as it emerges from the chrysalis, it’s recommended to allow the butterfly to struggle, as it strengthens their wings. Provide your child with the opportunity to strengthen their wings, and as Margaret Thatcher once said, it may require fighting many battles.