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Health Information and Tools >  Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength

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Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength

Overview

Inner strength is the ability to cope with the stressful situations in life. This is often called "resilience."

Building inner strength begins with simple actions or thoughts that your child practices, such as planning for what to do next and learning to accept change. Inner strength can help a child face problems. Children who are resilient:

  • Are more likely to grow into healthy, happy adults, even when dealing with poverty, divorce, or family tragedy.
  • Are better able to stand up to peer pressure so they can avoid using drugs, drinking alcohol, and smoking.
  • Are better able to resist messages in the media that tell them to be or look a certain way.
  • Feel confident when meeting new people.
  • Like to do nice things for others.
  • Are loving and lovable.
  • Are optimistic about life.

Children often surprise us with how resilient they are. But there is much you can do as a parent to help your young child or your teenager grow stronger.

By working to develop a child's inner strength, you are giving that child the emotional and mental tools needed to stay healthy and happy throughout life.

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Information about Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength

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Information about Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff

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