You won’t always be there for your kids and that’s a normal part of life, which is why you need to foster them with coping skills to further improve their stress tolerance as they gradually become more independent and learn to navigate challenges on their own.
Moreover, you shouldn’t do bubble wrap parenting as it negatively affects their development even though your overprotectiveness is out of pure love and concern. When children are excessively protected and shielded from every potential obstacle or failure, they may struggle to develop important life skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and resilience.
Today’s episode, which is a continuation of our series on coping skills, is going to give you tools and resources to help your kids be more resilient.
The importance of patience and reinforcement.
Fostering coping skills and stress tolerance is not an easy task; it’s going to take some time to do. It is thus important to have patience and do positive reinforcement, especially to kids dealing with behavioral or learning issues. We’ve mentioned in our previous episode that other kids need three times the amount of reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement plays a vital role in encouraging desired behaviors and building confidence in children. We always have to take into consideration that progress may not always be linear, and setbacks are a normal part of the learning process. As a parent or caregiver, it's important to provide consistent support and understanding.
How to foster stress tolerance.
Parents should start by regulating themselves because kids co-regulate off of their parents. And so, don’t approach your kids when you or your kids are a hot mess.
We also have to be responsive to our kids so that they’d understand what the most salient things are as we consistently reinforce the positive behaviors. As parents, we have to be role models to our kids. That is why we have to be careful with the verbiage we use.
Train your kid to have a positive mindset that they can handle things. The language we use when communicating with our children has the power to influence how they see themselves, their attitudes, and their actions. It is crucial to be mindful of our word choices and opt for positive and constructive language that motivates and inspires them.
Give your kids positive reinforcement statements when they feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Sometimes, they’re in dire need of reassurance that the problems they have are temporary and will pass. By allowing them to experience age-appropriate setbacks, they get opportunities to learn and develop necessary skills to navigate life's difficulties.
Many of our clients come from all over the world for our Brain Behavior Reset Program and it has produced significant and positive results which we’re all very grateful for. In that program, we focus on coping skills not just for the kid but also for the family because when dealing with frustration tolerance, you really have to take a holistic approach.
Our neurotastic line comes out in August 2023 so make sure to visit our website and get waitlisted.
For more information, you can read these blog posts on Anxiety Coping Skills for Teens and 10 Essential Coping Skills for ADHD Kids.
Links and Resources:
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