This post is created in anticipation of this month’s Year of Healing seminar on resilience. The seminar at the Mitchell Early Childhood and Family Center on February 18 at 6:30 p.m. is sold out. Please check our full calendar of Year of Healing events to attend a future session.
Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, created a guide to help parents build resilience in their kids. He calls this the 7 Cs.
1. Competence
Building competence in a child helps them feel as though they can handle a situation on their own. We can help children build competence by empowering them to make decisions and focusing on their personal strengths.
2. Confidence
Similar to competence, building confidence in a child teaches them to believe in themselves. We can help build confidence in children by recognizing their achievements and best qualities.
3. Connection
Encouraging children to build close relationships with friends and family gives them a sense of security. We can help children form connections by allowing emotional expressions and by spending quality time with your family.
4. Character
Having good character means a child has a strong set of morals and values, which are important in making sound decisions. We can help children build character by showing them how one person's behaviors affect others and encouraging them to identify themselves as a caring person.
5. Contribution
Teaching children that the world is a better place because they are in it can give them a source of purpose and motivation. We can teach children to make good contributions to the world by informing them of others' needs and stressing the importance of showing kindness to others.
6. Coping
Learning to cope with stress in a healthy manner prepares children for dealing with difficult situations later in life. We can help children learn to cope effectively by modeling healthy coping mechanisms ourselves and providing them with resources and positive strategies for coping.
7. Control
Children who realize they can have an impact on a situation's outcome are more likely to bounce back. We can help children realize their impact by teaching them that most situations in life are the result of a person's actions and that they can make a difference if they put their minds to it.
Source: Healthy Children
2020: The Year of Healing is a year-long initiative developed by Muncie BY5 and Huffer Memorial Children’s Center aimed at educating child care providers on trauma. The monthly programs are designed to inform providers on not just the types of trauma children face, but also how to appropriately tailor care for children who have experienced those adverse situations.