Bend Clinical Supervisor Maura McCusker, LCSW-R, is sharing her take on how to help your child foster resilience. 

Want to give your kiddo the gift of grit? Try these top tips and read the full article for more. 

1. Take time to track moods. Remind your kiddo or teen that all feelings are valid, and labeling them can help to make sense of what’s going on inside their bodies and minds. Give them a permission slip to feel a range of things — sadness, jealousy, anger, etc. You may also consider creating and hanging a simple mood chart in your home so that they can start putting a name to how they feel. 
2. Ask curious questions. We know life gets busy, but try spending one-on-one time with your child each day simply checking in and listening to them. Notice when they are most open and communicative (bedtime, at the dinner table, on the drive home from school, while eating a snack, etc.), and try to adjust your schedule to protect this window of time. ‍
3. Model resilience. Talk to your child about a time when you faced something difficult or scary, what tools you turned to, and how you felt when you faced your fear or refused to quit.