National Geographic Society
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the Resilience Builder for Children and Adolescents
Dunlap
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Mary Alvord
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Ulash Dunlap
Nadine Araksi Silverthorne
Kickstartology
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New York City
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struggling.âFor
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âKids who can only see what can go wrong and donât feel they have any control in situations are more likely to feel hopeless and depressed,â Alvord says.No matter what the sudden change a child is dealing with, the event is a great opportunity for parents to encourage kids to problem-solve their new situation.Alvord suggests parents ask their kids: âWhat are some options we have? âEach time they learn on their own, they're building that resilience muscle because they're learning to trust themselves.âParents wonât always be around when a sudden change happensâand sometimes even if they are, they need to give kids the space to figure things out on their own.âI think overall the important thing is helping your kids understand that while [no one] can control everything, there are many things that they can do to improve their lives and the situation,â Alvord says.Kids who consider change as a challenge they can faceârather than an obstacle they canât overcomeâwill be better able to navigate the situation.âWhen you think, âI can try, or I have dealt with change before, I can do it again,â itâs empowering,â Alvord says.Dunlap says that parents can also help children feel like theyâre taking back some power in an out-of-control situation by teaching them techniques to use anytime theyâre feeling frustrated. âThose connections and support systems are critical,â Alvord says, âespecially now, with COVID-19, when people are feeling more isolated.âAnd as new stressors arise, it will be normal for kids to slip out of their routineâitâs OK to gently remind them to practice the skills theyâve learned.âAll of our coping skills are being challenged right now, but itâs never too late to improve,â Dunlap says.
As said here by Heather Greenwood Davis