Your child has a goal in mind… to get their ball out of the tree, there is one problem though, it is just out of reach.
What does it mean ‘to take a risk’?
Risk taking is participating in any behaviour with an uncertain outcome in order to achieve a goal. Positive risk taking is about learning skills and discovering new places, while providing opportunities to develop confidence and a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Taking risks and growing up
Taking risks is part of growing up, exploring limits and testing abilities. When kids gradually take risks, they grow stronger and more confident with each accomplishment. Allowing children to take healthy risks is vital for developing resilience. When kids experience challenges and adversity, with a positive mindset, their self-esteem and independence are enhanced.
Safety and risk taking
Kids also learn about safety and consequences when they experience setbacks. Children need to choose activities and find their limits by exploring and discovering things for themselves. Try to allow kids to feel as if they are unsupervised and playing independently, even if you are still close by to jump in at the last minute.
Encourage kids to be curious and explore the world around them. While it is difficult for parents and carers to facilitate the right risk taking balance, the feelings of uncertainty and achievement your child experiences when confronting a challenge can develop new resilience skills with each outcome.
The benefits of risk taking for kids:
increase confidence and assertiveness
enhance emotional intelligence
learn new skills
sense of accomplishment
help overcome fear of failure
experience consequences
learn limits and safety awareness
enhance creative thinking
define wants and self-identity
discover new opportunities
boost self-confidence and self-esteem
develop a growth mindset
achieve dreams
make new friends
Kids learn through challenges
From a young age kids enjoy and want to take risks by exploring their limits through their experiences. Risk taking inspires children to walk, jump in puddles, climb fences and stairs, ride a bicycle and many more activities. All these challenges involve some sort of risk, while achieving them boosts resilience and emotional health.
And the self-congratulatory joy of knowing ‘I did it’ and ‘I can do it again’ your child feels when they climb the tree and recover their ball is an invaluable life skill lesson in problem solving and resilience.
Recognize and Appreciate Your Resilience Worksheet
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