Help Children Build Resilience to Face Life’s Challenges

The pandemic is often viewed as the root cause for the sharp decline in adolescent mental health. But experts have been sounding the alarm about a growing mental health crisis for years. The suffering we see in children has been exacerbated by many factors – isolation, societal division, economic stress, and violent conflicts. In a way, children have become the canaries in the coal mine who mirror adult behavior and stress, and their actions are indicative of the challenges our world is facing.

In my decades as a pediatrician and professor of child psychiatry and development, I have witnessed the power that stories have to help children develop important life skills to deal with some of life’s biggest challenges. When we think of literacy as a tool to build resilience, the connection may not be immediately clear. But while writing The Educator’s Guide to Child & Family Resilience, I looked closely at the many ways mental health and literacy are intertwined. When we facilitate a conversation about a character’s emotions in a favorite children’s book, or encourage students to make more independent choices at home, we foster resilience and literacy seamlessly. This can happen within the home, in the classroom, and on a societal level.

Again and again, research has affirmed the effectiveness of storytelling and reading as a vehicle to improve student health, mental fortitude, motivation, and positive self-esteem. The more opportunities children have to learn about the world through reading, the more opportunities they have to grow and flourish. By exposing young people to quality books with characters who confront powerful emotions, we help them develop resilience and self-confidence. As children read about the lives of others, they naturally cultivate self-awareness, emotional depth, and compassion for the struggles of others, as well as a deeper capacity for problem-solving and critical thinking (Reading for Life).

Literature can also be a model for positive social relationships for kids and serve as a springboard for powerful discussions about how to develop and emulate these connections with others. Research from the American Psychological Association has found that one of the primary factors for resilience is having caring, supportive relationships, whether they be with our family or our closest friends. By demonstrating kindness, showing love, and fostering meaningful conversations, we can help children create and maintain close-knit relationships. A simple, low-risk way for parents and caregivers to give kids a chance to engage in critical discussions at home is by starting a “family book club” and reading a book together. In the classroom, educators can host Socratic seminars or literature circles, prompting students to debate, reflect, and connect with others through the text at hand. These interactions aid in the construction of strong communication skills and other executive functions, and help prevent loneliness and isolation. My wise co-author, Dr. Michele Myers, shares ideas on how to further these aims on the Scholastic Mental Health Resource.

When we teach children how to be resilient, we encourage them to be curious. The more curiosity a child has about a certain topic or story, the more likely they are to remember the information they have learned (Psychological Science). This phenomenon ultimately increases a child’s motivation to take action and create a more positive self-image. When children are able to pursue their own interests — their own curiosities — they are more likely to accomplish reading milestones. Research finds that 92% of kids are more likely to finish reading a book that they picked out themselves. Providing access to books that match a child’s interests opens doors for communication, personal discovery, and heightened engagement. When families, teachers, and communities take the time to foster curiosity, and allow children to pursue their passions, children benefit mentally and emotionally.

Literature and storytelling encourage student well-being, which is critical to their mental health. At a time when division and fragmentation are growing, literacy provides a clear path to building resilience. To help children process the world around them, protect their physical and mental health, and increase academic motivation, educators and families can and should work together to connect literacy and overall health from an early age and beyond.