| The concept of resiliency has become something of a | | | | to communicate their emotions. Take time out and |
| buzz word in psychology and education over recent | | | | practice relaxation techniques at home. |
| years. In particular, resiliency has been identified as a | | | | 5. Teach 'Guided Independence'. |
| key component in combating depression, anxiety and | | | | Encourage children to care for themselves and allow |
| panic attacks symptoms. Building resiliency has | | | | them to contribute to family decisions within age |
| therefore been viewed as an important element in | | | | appropriate limits. Teach how to solve problems step |
| some panic attacks treatments. | | | | by step, considering consequences for self and others. |
| But what is resiliency? Resiliency is the quality that | | | | 6. Practice 'Goal Doing'. |
| enables people to bounce back from setbacks. In spite | | | | Goal setting is only part of the process. Something |
| of challenges, a variety of life's hurts or even loss and | | | | must be done in order to actually reach these goals if |
| trauma, resilience enables people to persist and | | | | children are to experience success. Teach children to |
| succeed. | | | | break goals into achievable short-term steps and to |
| Resilience can also act as an immunisation against the | | | | follow through with action to achieve them. |
| development of depression, anxiety disorders and | | | | 7. Nurture positive self-esteem. |
| panic attacks. Children can learn resiliency as an | | | | Encourage your children to celebrate their strengths |
| important tool for coping with whatever life throws at | | | | and to be accepting of their weaknesses. Help them |
| them. And if children have coping skills, they may well | | | | to see the value of their individuality. Remind children |
| abrogate the need for panic attacks treatment at | | | | that they have coped well with previous difficulties. |
| some later stage in their life. | | | | 8. Remove the 'catastrophe'. |
| Tips for helping children to develop resiliency: | | | | Sometimes we all tend to think that our troubles or |
| 1. Encourage 'Social Connectedness' | | | | challenges are the end of the world. Teach children to |
| Teach children how to make friends and how to | | | | dispute the thought that things could not be any worse |
| respond to bullies. Strengthen family and social | | | | and to put problems into perspective. |
| networks. Develop a sense of belonging to family, | | | | 9. Promote a sense of control. |
| school, church, clubs or other organizations. | | | | Teach your children that they are still in control, even |
| 2. Promote service to others. | | | | when things go wrong. Remind children to stop, think |
| Helping others can be an empowering experience. It | | | | and formulate a plan for moving forward. |
| shows children that they have strengths that can | | | | These strategies can be used by parents to help their |
| benefit others and that they are part of a wider | | | | children to develop the resilient thinking that can arm |
| community. | | | | them against the development of depression, anxiety |
| 3. Maintain daily routines. | | | | disorders and panic attacks symptoms. Of course, the |
| An established routine provides stability and security in | | | | development of these disorders is somewhat complex |
| a young person's life. In times of stress, continuing to | | | | and there are no guarantees that the above tips will |
| engage in these regular routines is often the rock that | | | | be a complete 'immunization'. However, it is clear that |
| speeds a return to normal life. | | | | children who are resilient do handle the vagaries of life |
| 4. Encourage flexibility. | | | | far better than those who are not. In that respect, |
| While established routines are important, life sometimes | | | | using these tips can give your children a head start in |
| throws us a curve ball. Teach children to adapt to | | | | coping with all of life's challenges. |
| change, to control frustration and anger responses, and | | | | |