Children Believe they are Indestructible

Hewitt, M. B. (2005). The importance of taking a strength-based perspective. Reclaiming children and youth, 14(1), 23-26.

When I look back to why many of my friends died, I recollect how they said they could not handle life anymore. These wonderful, astounding, and kind people went out expecting to find more exceptional people yet, they were sadly disappointed. They went out and found a cruel world. An unfair world, one where dreams don’t always come true; Why? Simply because that is life. Sometimes no matter how hard you work you may never reach where you desire to be. There is always going to be someone bigger and/or better than you; that is the devastating reality of life. I believe the way we instruct children, that everything is fine and dandy in life; that if you try hard enough, you can be whatever you want to be is simply giving them false hope, and maybe that needs to change.

One must wonder how a person with Steve’s shocking childhood could grow into a man who is successful, not only in his career but in his personal life as well. Resilience theory is a possible explanation as to why Steve survived, despite the odds that were stacked against him. Resilience theory is a strength based approach which provides a framework that focuses on positive outcomes and not just the negative ones. The idea is that it promotes what works best while de-emphasizing psychopathology. Resilience theory defines resilience and possesses several key terms, which include protective/risk factors. Research on resilience has been valuable in directing attention toward youth who succeed in spite of high levels of stress and economic instability, as it identifies factors that can serve as protective functions which foster competence.

In comparison, this viewpoint alternated my opinion as Dante Cicchetti displays “research on the determinants of resilience in maltreated children is presented as an illustration of empirical work that is moving from single-level to multilevel investigations of competent functioning in the face of adversity and trauma”.

In order to develop resilience children and young people need firm foundations including; Trusting relationships, Structure and rules ,Good role models,

Some children may have a better disposition/character that may make them gain resilience a little easier, for those that don't have such an 'easy' nature, they may need a little more help to gain pse skills to help them build up their

Resilience is often an indicator of future success as an adult and can help to protect children against emotional and behavioural problems etc

Such toxic stress can have damaging effects on learning, behavior, and health across the lifespan. Learning how to cope with adversity is an important part of healthy child development. The most effective prevention is to reduce exposure of young children to extremely stressful conditions. Research also indicates that supportive, responsive relationships with caring adults as early in life as possible can prevent or reverse the damaging effects of toxic stress response (Center on Developing Child, nd). By establishing clear lines of communication between adults and children, and home and school, parents and teachers can help to shape children’s perceptions in informed ways. During times of trouble, when emotions run high, parents and teachers can help children develop the skills necessary to manage their feelings, to confront unpleasant or adverse realities, and to acquire greater emotional stability. In order to support children in better understanding their world, adults may have to help them come to terms with circumstances that are frightening, confusing, overwhelming, or possibly unrelated to their past experience. By providing a safe and supportive environment and a healthy acceptance of all that is good in life, a calm and ready-to-listen adult can facilitate children’s well being, and help to alleviate the fear, dismay or confusion they may feel. In doing so, it is important to honor and nurture children’s sensitivity. Although parents and teachers cannot shelter children from all adversity, they are well positioned to help children learn about the imbalances in the world, to better comprehend their impact, and to find thoughtful ways to strike a comfortable and meaningful balance of their own (Foster & Matthews,

Studies show that childhood injuries and deaths occur right in their home (Morrongiello, Corbett, McCourt, & Johnston, 2006). In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 4 children will experience an injury that will need medical attention (Morrongiello, Corbett, McCourt, & Johnston, 2006). Erikson’s psychosocial theory is an excellent way to better understand why a child will get injured by providing a different perspective (Ginsburg, 1992). This will lead to more extensive research on childhood injuries (Ginsburg, 1992).

According to Osgood (2014), in order for youth to become resilient they need help building a support system to fall back on, must learn the problem solving skills necessary to live on their

Children are at a higher risk of becoming emotionally unstable when they are continuously being pushed, and left with little to no comfort, while being degraded by a parent.

Children are at an increased risk of unintentional injuries due to their rapid increase in size from infancy, strength and their desire to be adventurous. According to Hoffnung et al. (2013) as a society develops, there is a push for children to obtain a greater sense of independence and intelligence (Hoffnung et al., 2013). The push for independence among young children increases the risk of unintentional injuries and in severe cases can lead to death. Peden et al. (2008) state that "injury prevention plays a key role in promoting children's safety" (p.204). Children who are affected by unintentional injuries that do not result in death are then later affected in other areas such as the cognitive development and social-emotional development.

Vulnerability and resilience among children continues to be a popular topic in research of developmental psychology. The two definitions are closely tied together as they are considered both sides to the spectrum. Schaffer (2006) defines vulnerability and resilience “as the susceptibility to develop malfunctioning following exposure to stressful life events, as opposed to the capacity to maintain competent functioning stress”. If stressful life events are the trigger here, why is it that some children are far more vulnerable, yet others are more resilient? The three studies discussed in this paper will attempt to explain why these differences occur and what can we do to enhance protective factors.

Gilligan, R. (2000) _Adversity, resilience and young people: the protective value of positive school and spare time experiences, Children and Society_, Vol 14 (1), 37-47

One of the most important traits for my education and my life is resilience. The ability to make a mistake and come back from it quickly. This is one of the most important and basic skills I have learned in life. It however is not a skill everyone has learned, some people are adults and still aren’t resilient, tossing their life away over menial things. In today'sthis day inand age this this is more clear than ever, people can’t take insults, can’t take small infractions on their beliefs, and most of all aren’t ready for the reality of life.