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Psychologist: Children's 'Resilience' Starts With Parents' Unconditional Love

SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) -- There are resilient children and there are some who struggle with adversity, according to one child psychologist.

Internationally-recognized clinical psychologist, speaker and author, Dr. Robert Brooks, spoke with WWJ about how parents can help kids learn to solve problems and give unconditional love to make them feel more secure.

"Some kids almost from birth are going to be more resilient just given their temperament, but that doesn't mean there aren't things we can do to help kids," Brooks said. "At a very early age, parents can help kids learn how to start solving problems they can help kids to deal with mistakes.

"(Parents) can help them find their beauty or strengths...They can really offer unconditional love to kids because, you know, we're all going to face problems," Brooks said.

Brooks spoke about studies that have been done and the mindset of the some children who can be considered "resilient."

"They were good problem solvers -- they saw problems as things to be solved, rather than overwhelmed by," Brooks said. "They felt that you learn from mistakes rather than feel defeated by them."

Brooks said working on a charity or helping younger children can boost a child's resilience.

"Whatever it is -- working on a charity, I've had kids in 5th and 6th grade help younger children or read to them -- that also boosted their self-esteem and resilience because it basically said to them that 'you really serve a positive purpose here,'" Brooks said.

 

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