THE PANDEMIC-STRESS & RESILIENCE

We are acutely aware of the Pandemics’ impact upon the Kids & Families Children’s Friend serves, especially as related to majorly heightened levels of Toxic Stress. Toxic Stress and its impact on Child Development has been a topic of this Blog in the past. This time we will look briefly at the concept of “Resilience”.

All too often, when adults speak about bad things happening to young kids, including enduring exposure to High-Stress Environments they say ” Oh thank goodness that kids are so resilient”.

In fact, this is not an accurate statement. Resilience is not something that kids have automatically, resilience is not a genetic given. Resilience is grown and developed over time and is the result of the child experiencing, over time, Positive Healthy Developmental Experiences & Environments.

In the October update from the “Center on the Developing Child” at Harvard University, the topic of “Resilience”, especially as related to the impact of the Pandemic is explored very clearly and directly. A link to the article can be found here

We hope you find it interesting and helpful.

Robert Hagberg Chief of Strategy