Cited in She Knows – Raising Courageous Kids
For She Knows, I was asked by Sarah Caron about raising courageous kids. Here is a beautifully written piece on how to parent for bravery. The author notes in the face of traumatic events, we are told how resilient kids can be. But surely some of that courage is learned. Caron takes on what parents can do to teach kids to be brave:
“Traumatic events offer opportunities for courage and growth. Bravery may be our most important defense against anxiety, and I believe is the gateway to self-esteem,” says Alicia H. Clark, PsyD, PLLC, and a licensed clinical psychologist.
What is bravery?
For She Knows, I was asked by Sarah Caron about raising courageous kids:Clark suggests talking to your kids about your family’s values, and why they are so important. “These values can become the reasons to put fear aside and be brave.”“Bravery is the experience of being afraid but believing that something else is more important than your fear. It is a choice, and a choice no one can make but ourselves,” says Clark. “Parents can teach kids, and model, the important things of life — our values.”
Clark suggests talking to your kids about your family’s values, and why they are so important. “These values can become the reasons to put fear aside and be brave.”
Tips and advice for raising a sensitive child >>
While you really cannot teach bravery, you can encourage your kids to act bravely. “Parents can explain that being afraid is a feeling whereas being brave is an action. Taking action doesn’t require feeling good or safe, it only requires courage,” says Clark.
Read more at http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1019833/raising-courageous-kids
