Resilience is like a bouncing ball. No matter how hard you bounce it, the ball springs back into action! That’s what we want for our children – to have the ability to bounce back after tough experiences and be ready, willing and able to “play” again. Past generations didn’t think about resilience in the same way we do today. It was expected that one would fall down, get up, brush off the dirt and get back into the game. No time to complain, dawdle or run the other way. Today, we know more about the power of resilience and the difficulties that many children experience after a negative experience.
In his TEDx Talk, The Power of Resilience, Sam Goldstein, Ph.D. shares his expertise and professional experience to help us better understand resilience and to learn how – as adult influencers – we can be a powerful force in the ability of children to be resilient.
Dr. Goldstein shares a story of a boy who sees “a good day as one when nothing bad happens”. Imagine getting up each day with the hope that nothing bad will happen and being preoccupied with finding ways to avoid doing anything that might get you in trouble with an adult. It is like looking over your shoulder all the time while missing the beauty of life experiences in the process.
I believe that in education, parenting and coaching we have opportunities, and an obligation, to provide children with positive reinforcement and support – so that when something bad happens children can learn and grow, bouncing back to face the next challenge while experiencing joy in their daily lives.