Who are THEY?

“They say”.  How many times have we heard a sentence over the past 7 months start with “they say”?  They say there’s not enough tests, they say masks work, they say masks don’t work, they say to not go to concerts, they say go outside.  Did you ever stop to think about who THEY is and what authority they have to make the statement.  If we reflect on what we, kids and adults, are learning during this unusual time we might all agree that every THEY statement needs to be researched.  So that’s what we did at EDGE when it comes to learning about Resilience.  

What Does Resiliency Look Like?

Resilience is one of those words we have started to hear more and more the longer the pandemic has lingered.  THEY tell us that we all just need to be resilient, resilience is what will get us through all the changes and unknowns.  So what is it and how do we get some, for ourselves and our families?  One of the “Theys”, Dr. Mark, gives a great explanation in this video. Take one minute to check it out. Most explain resilience as “bouncing back”.  At the very basic level it is an individual’s tendency to cope with stress and adversity.  Can you adjust and recover when life throws you a curveball?  Like a pandemic. Resilience doesn’t mean negative life events won’t happen or impact you, it’s about your response to the event. 

Build that Muscle!

Does your child’s canceled soccer game send them into a tantrum?  Does a change in routine cause stress?   Does an inconsiderate customer at your work ruin your whole day?  Does a lost job result in you disconnecting with family members, overeating and ignoring all the positives that still exist? The answer may be yes to some of this and that’s normal  Now is the time to figure out how to build resilience with your child (not for your child) so they navigate the next challenge.  The graphic below and this clip helps paint a picture of how to help kids (it works for adults to) build their resiliency muscle.