(From United Way of Utah)
- YOU CAN START BUILDING EVERYDAY RESILIENCE BY FOSTERING SAFETY, CONNECTION, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE CHILDREN AROUND YOU
- Every two years, kids in Utah schools are asked: During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that you stopped doing some usual activities? More kids than ever before are answering yes.
- PHYSICAL: Physical needs are the first step on the pyramid. It’s easy to underestimate the importance of these needs but when a child’s physical needs are met, it lays the foundation for the rest of their well-being.
- SAFETY: Even if a child may be physically safe, they may not feel safe. They may be afraid of getting in trouble or letting a loved one down. A child who feels safe knows they can be themselves with you and trusts that you will always love them no matter what. The PDF link below gives specific instructions on what to do, why to do it, and how to make it: Safe to talk, safe to be you, safe to feel, safe to explore, safe to separate, and safe to fail.
- CONNECTED: Connection is when a child feels truly understood. More than just being in the same space as your child or giving extravagant gifts, connection happens in the everyday moments of our lives, such as quiet breaks, casual conversation, and shared experiences. The PDF link at the bottom of this article explains what to do to connect, and why. It teaches how to connect by apologizing, connect through writing, connect in playing, connect by asking and connect through laughing.
- CONFIDENT: Once children begin to feel safe and connected, they can start to develop confidence. Confidence is a sense of independence that comes when children develop skills and qualities that help them feel capable. When children are confident, they feel free to accept challenges, try new things, and find solutions to problems. This resiliency lends to success in all areas of life.
