There are so many different areas that we need to juggle as parents or teachers and sometimes it can feel very challenging. Our children are the most precious people in our lives and we want to both protect them and also enable them to grow into responsible adults who can take their place with confidence in the world. These struggles can be hard because it is not easy to watch them make mistakes, experience conflict with their peers or to feel disappointment. But, it is in these moments that they learn how to be resilient.
What is resilience?
A simple dictionary search gave me the following: the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties.
We hear a lot in the media about the importance of young people being taught resilience, however, resilience is really learnt from allowing our children to experience difficulties, giving them the tools to accept responsibility for their actions or inactions and then guiding them through the next steps.
This fortnight, I have been impressed with students who have faced problems, owned their part and committed to improving in a number of areas. Facing problems takes courage.
I thoroughly enjoy watching our youngest students learn new skills. There is excitement for them as they start to read, count, add and explore their world. There can sometimes be conflict too as they try to work out who they are and how they want to be known. If we rescue them from every problem then they do not learn the skills they need to resolve conflict and to be people of character. People who are resilient and know how to persevere.
This is also true for our older children. The Year 12 students have completed their Trial HSC exams and are now receiving results and feedback based on their efforts. This can be a difficult time. If we focus on marks only, then we can send a message that this is what defines them. If we look instead at the next steps through focusing on feedback and refining skills, then we build capacity and resilience in our young people. We build character.
As they look towards future study opportunities or work options, they will need to have confidence that they can navigate both joy and disappointment. They will need resilience and perseverance.
I have been impressed with the Class of 2024. They are young people of whom we can all be proud.
Please be in prayer for them and their teachers as they complete the final days of formal schooling and prepare for the HSC exams in October.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4