There’s been a lot of talk recently about the impact of “helicopter parents” (who hover to protect their kids from negative experiences) on the ability of their kids to handle life’s challenges as they grow up.
A growing body of research that tells us how important learning how to tolerate life’s bumps is to healthy human development. Success is great, but we can learn a lot from mistakes as well.
Our associate executive director of clinical programs, Annie Ramniceanu, knows this all too well. “We’re seeing more and more youth here at Spectrum who don’t have the ability to withstand failure—to pick themselves back up, dust themselves off, and try again.” She knows from science and experience that resiliency and persistence are often the biggest factors in a teen’s success and that we all need to keep this in mind as parents, teachers, and community members.
For more on steps you can take to encourage resiliency in your own kids, see this article by Tim Elmore.