Developing Resilience in Children

In Israel, traumatic events are a common thread in all our photo albums, depicting experiences of war and sheltering in bunkers. Yet surprisingly, Israel ranks 4th on the World Happiness Index. This paradox highlights the complexity of our reality, as together with Prof. Anat Shoshani we shed light on what can be done regarding this in building resilience among children.

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Prolonged exposure to trauma accumulates over time and challenges people’s ability to cope. However, most people, including children, have an inner resilience that is often discovered when dealing with an emergency routine like the one we face today. 

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The current reality is especially challenging, bringing an inability to concentrate, learn, work, feelings of confusion and sometimes sleep disturbances too. To navigate this, normalizing responses to extraordinary events is crucial. This involves recognizing the immense range of reactions and legitimizing difficult emotions, especially moving away from blame and shame. One of the most important things that can be done with children is to ask specific questions relating to their experiences and feelings, focusing on what helps them and what difficulties they are dealing with.

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Reframing experiences we went through is an extremely powerful tool that encourages people to see their experiences through a lens of strength and heroism, rather than helplessness. This ability to change their outlook on the event they endured can completely transform how their psyche responds to what happened. By emphasizing cases of personal triumph against adversity, people can regain a sense of control, instill resilience and even prevent trauma. 

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Above all, social support emerges as the foremost factor in building resilience. Encouraging connections, understanding and mutual aid within communities play a central role in helping people and children navigate the challenges before them.