It would be nice if you could keep your child in a protective bubble for the rest of his life, shielding him from any hurt that many come his way. But the truth is, all of the parenting work you're doing now is helping him prepare for his departure from the nest. You know that life has lots of ups and downs in store for your child, and the best thing you can do is give him the tools to cope. Starting now, there are things you do that will make your child mentally strong later in life.
It can be hard to watch your child grow up and need you less, but allowing them to learn and discover the world around them is one of the best things you can do as a parent. Encouraging your child to try new things, giving them the space to make their own age-appropriate choices, and teaching accountability can go along way in helping them become responsible and resilient adults. And at the end of the day, isn't that the point of this whole parenting thing? So starting loosening the reigns, take a step back, and watch your child blossom into a mentally strong adult. You may be surprised to see that all of your hard work is actually paying off.
1
You Give Them Some Space
It's natural to want to swoop in and save the day when your child is dealing with a difficult situation. But as long as they aren't in danger, it's better to take your superhero cape off and watch from a distance. As Today's Parent mentioned, letting your kids make choices and solve problems on their own is important to helping them build self-esteem.
2
You Teach Them To Cope With Their Feelings
When it comes to dealing with emotions, children need guidance. As Very Well noted, children are better prepared to deal with challenging situations, when they have the tools to understand their emotions. Whether it's meditation, deep breathing, or journaling, you can help your child manage her feelings and find an alternative to tantrums.
3
You Encourage Them To Take Risks
You can help develop your child's mental toughness by encouraging them to try new things — even if they aren't successful at first, as Inc. noted. She may not realize it now, but she's learning lots of valuable life lessons through her mistakes.
4
You Teach Them Responsibility
An important part of character building, is the ability to accept responsibility for your mistakes. Very Well advised parents to discourage their children from blaming others or making excuses for bad behavior. Instead, they need to learn to accept their role in what went wrong.
5
You Tell Them You Love Them
Most parents tell their kids they're proud when the child gets good grades or scores a winning goal. But as Today's Parent suggested, you should let your child know that your love isn't tied to winning or success, but is unconditional.
6
You Show Gratitude
You know that life is full of disappointments, but you don't want your children spending so much time dwelling on the negative that they don't appreciate all of their blessings. A great way to teach mental toughness is to encourage your kids to be grateful for everything they have, according to Psych Central
7
You Lead By Example
Your child looks to you for more than food and cuddles. Right now, you are one of his primary role models. Even when you think he's not looking, your child is paying attention to how you handle everything life throws your way. For this reason, one of the best ways to teach mental toughness is to model it in your own behavior, according to Inc.
