We all want our children to be a little bit tough. Tough enough to not allow others to push them around mentally, emotionally and physically but not so tough that they have no sensitivity. I have met many over-sensitive children who take everything to heart and together we work on how they can start to protect their feelings from what others say and do to them. This ensures that their self-esteem is not destroyed and they gain strength. It can be difficult to build this strength if a child does not have a tough mindset already but parents can help them take steps to develop it. Ultimately, when raising children, it comes down to the thoughts our children have about a situation and challenging those thoughts.
Building Mental Toughness When Raising Children
- Parents can take the first step to raising children with a tough mindset by asking them how other’s words affect them and what else could they think or do instead so that they become more resilient.
- We could encourage them to find a way out of tricky situations instead of always rescuing them. They may not feel happy about us not rescuing them but let them feel the unhappiness and learn how to bring themselves out of it. We all have to experience disappointment/sadness and know how to move on from it. The same goes for when your child feels frustrated or does not do as well as they hoped in something. We can give them some support but wrapping them up and consoling them greatly is not going to help them develop a hardy mind-set, problem-solve or develop strategies on their own.
- We can also not give in to everything our child wants. If we constantly say yes to stuff then they will not be used to hearing the word no and they will be disappointed in later life when they hear it more frequently.
These three ways will slowly start to build a tough mindset in your child which will help them navigate through life’s challenges. These strategies are the kind of ones I use in my sessions when life coaching children. How do you help your child to be less sensitive and mentally tough? I’d love to hear your tips too, so please share in the comments.
For more ideas on raising children have a read of, ‘The Parent’s Toolkit’
Alternatively why not give me a call to see how I could help your child be more resilient. I can be reached on 07961312749.
