How to be an example of resilience for your kids: for dads and father-figures

Resilience is our ability to cope with change and challenge and to bounce back in difficult times.

1. Skills to cope
   Having skills to solve problems, manage emotions as well as the ability to think through situations and decide on the best action.
2. Support
   Having support from at least one caring adult, friends or another good role model.
3. Self-esteem
   Feeling good about yourself and your ability to take on challenges and try new things.

• Avoid dismissing your kids’ challenges. Be open and talk with your kids at a young age about issues you faced when you were growing up and how you overcame them, i.e. sibling rivalry, sharing, handling change.
• Help your child to learn to identify and begin to manage their emotions.
• Talk to your child about strategies they could use to deal with difficult situations.
• When you anticipate challenges for your kid/s, talk openly about how they might face these with a positive and resilient attitude – i.e. transitioning into secondary school.
• Support them to develop a positive sense of who they are and how they feel about themselves.
• Provide opportunities for them to build confidence through taking on new challenges.
• Help them to find solutions to problems rather that giving them the answers. Ask questions like, “What could you do?” and “What do you think?”
• For young children, support their growing need for independence. Start with the basics like teaching them to care for their own belongings, having them make their bed or do small chores e.g. feeding the pets.