How Parental Support Helps Children Become More Resilient
The article explores how children develop resilience, citing a survey of roughly 16,000 Australian young people. It reports that the most resilient participants commonly felt they had a parent who cared about them and listened to them, and it challenges the idea that children should simply cope alone. The piece recommends parenting approaches such as staying calm during difficult moments and letting children work through problems with support.
A 2014 study by Andrew Fuller asked about 16,000 young Australians about resilience. Those with the highest resilience almost all reported having a parent who was invested in them and paid attention to what they said; less resilient youth generally did not report this. This suggests support and attention matter greatly.
Researchers describe resilience as recovering from hardship, though it often feels invisible while someone is struggling. Contrary to a strict, self-reliant approach, evidence indicates it grows through supportive relationships and everyday interactions, not by leaving children alone. Parenting strategies include remaining calm, allowing manageable challenges, and offering meaning or purpose.
This framing could influence how parents, caregivers, educators interpret children's distress. If adults adopt calmer listening and allow manageable struggle, children may feel more supported and capable over time. Families facing time or resource pressures may find such advice harder to apply, so its reach may vary. The story may also shift public conversation away from expecting children to cope alone