How to Raise a More Resilient Kid: Ages 2-7
The preschool and early elementary years are a period of widespread external exploration, characterized by rapid language development, make-believe play and emulation, and egocentrism. “Language becomes more complex as kids learn to speak in full sentences, and that comes with additional milestones in the way they interact with others,” says Jessica Hawks, child and adolescent psychologist and clinical director of ambulatory services at the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Yet, she adds, “they can only understand why things are happening in their world based on their own point of view.” Figuring out how to keep their cool after they’re told they can’t do exactly what they want to—often by a caregiver and for their own protection—is crucial to developing resilience at this age.
