Finding Strength in Challenges: Helping Kids Build Resilience

Facing challenge wearing a boot

Life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges our way, some small, some life-changing. As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand how these moments shape our children mindset, not just in what they experience, but in how they learn to navigate their emotions and build resilience.

Recently, my daughter faced a challenge. She had been preparing for her ice show with so much excitement, only to suffer a serious foot injury that put her in a boot, limiting her mobility. Along with that, she missed her science field trip, another event she had been eagerly looking forward to. As parents, we want to protect our kids from disappointment, but the truth is challenges are an inevitable part of life. What truly matters is how we talk to them during these moments and help them build the mindset to handle setbacks with resilience.

The Power of Validating Emotions

When my daughter first realized she wouldn’t be able to participate in the ice show, she was heartbroken. Instead of rushing to "fix" it or saying, "It’s okay, you’ll get another chance," I took a step back and let her express her emotions fully.

✔ "I see that you’re really sad about this. It’s okay to feel that way."✔ "You worked so hard for this, and it’s unfair. I understand."

Validating a child’s emotions doesn’t mean we encourage negative thinking, it means we acknowledge their feelings so they feel heard and understood. Often, children move forward more easily when they know their emotions are safe to express.

And she did. After sitting with her disappointment, she chose to still show up at the ice show, wearing her costume jacket and cheering on her team. That moment showed me something powerful: kids don’t need us to remove their struggles; they need us to help them process them in a way that strengthens them.

Talking to Kids About Challenges – Building a Strong Mindset

Once we validate their emotions, we can gently guide them toward resilience-building conversations:

1️⃣ Help them name their feelings – Ask, "How are you feeling right now?" Let them describe their emotions in their own words.2️⃣ Ask, "What do you think we can do next?" – Encouraging problem-solving gives them a sense of control, even in tough situations.3️⃣ Share a personal story – Kids love hearing that we, too, have faced challenges and found ways to move forward.4️⃣ Remind them that setbacks don’t define them – Instead of “This is so unfair,” try “This was really hard, but what did we learn from it?”

These small shifts in conversation train kids’ brains to approach difficulties not as things that defeat them, but as experiences that help them grow.

Creating the "Finding Strength in Challenges" Worksheet

As my daughter and I talked through her experience, I realized how important it is to have a structured way for kids to process their emotions and build resilience. That’s why I created the "Finding Strength in Challenges" worksheet.

This worksheet is designed to be simple and easy for kids to follow, no overwhelm, just a gentle way to help them process their feelings. When I saw my daughter working through it, I gave her an extended version where she could write a letter to her future self.

And let me tell you, I absolutely loved reading it. She started it with:

"Hey Faarah, remember a month ago when you injured your foot and missed your ice show..."

It was such a beautiful reflection of her growth and resilience. 💙

If you’d like to take this activity further, the extended version is available on my TPT account for a very small price but trust me, if you see a child truly engaging with it, you won’t regret it. Watching them put their thoughts into words and recognize their own strength is priceless.

💬 Let’s Talk!

How do you talk to your kids about challenges? Have you ever used real-life moments to build their resilience and emotional strength? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop a comment or message me, I truly believe we learn best when we share our experiences.