13-4 Resilience in the Early Years
A – Resilience in the Early Years
Center on the Developing Child
To begin our conversation about resilience, you will watch a sequence of three short videos produced by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. In these videos, you will watch experts talk about what resilience is, the science of resilience, and how resilience is built.
Video: InBrief: What is Resilience? (2:22)
Let’s watch the video InBrief: What is Resilience? The video defines resilience and provides examples of what resilience looks like in children.
Watch InBrief: What is Resilience? from Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University on YouTube.
Video Debrief
What is resilience? What is your experience with resilience in your life? When have you seen resilience in children? (click to toggle expand or collapse)
Possible Answers
In general, resilience is the ability to move forward in life, even in the face of adversity and challenges.
It is important to note that being resilient does not mean that a person doesn’t need help from others. Support from the community helps to foster resilience.
Video: InBrief: The Science of Resilience (2:29)
In the next video, we’ll listen to experts discuss the science of resilience. InBrief: The Science of Resilience, covers how resilience develops in children and what factors are important in the development and support of resilience in children.
As you watch this video, think about:
- Whether we are born resilient.
- Factors that may contribute to children’s ability to handle a traumatic event.
Watch InBrief: The Science of Resilience from Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University on YouTube.
Video Debrief
What factors may contribute to a child’s ability to handle a traumatic event? (click to toggle expand or collapse)
Possible Answers
- While some children may have a predisposition to resilience, any child can learn to be resilient with the help of supportive adults in their life.
- Many factors contribute to a child’s resilience. A few examples are:
- Children’s home environment and the degree of support that is available from parents or guardians
- Their school or child-care environment and the degree of support and individualized care that is available
- The opportunity to work through their trauma with supportive adults
- The opportunity to play and feel safe
Video: InBrief: How Resilience Is Built (2:17)
As you watch this final video, think about how you can support children in building resilience. InBrief: How Resilience is Built covers the factors that contribute to building resilience in children and what adults can do to support children’s development of resilience.
Watch InBrief: How Resilience Is Built from Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University on YouTube.
Video Debrief
How can you help children build resiliency? (click to toggle expand or collapse)
Possible Answers
Examples are:
- Building authentic relationships with children and their families
- Learning more about how trauma affects children
- Partnering with others, such as counselors, families, coaches, and supervisors, in support of children
B – Resilience Activity
Imagine that you have a new 3-year-old child named Omid in your early learning program. This child has recently moved to your town after their house was destroyed during a hurricane.
List a set of actions that you can take now to help Omid recover from this trauma and build resilience.
Points to guide your planning are:
- Questions you have for Omid or Omid’s family
- Changes you can make to your behavior or what you say
- Changes you can make to the early learning program schedule or points in the day where you can provide Omid with extra support
- Possible resources in your community for you or Omid and Omid’s family
References
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. (2015, April 22). InBrief: What is Resilience? [Video]
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. (2015, April 22). InBrief: The science of resilience. [Video]
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. (2015, April 22). InBrief: How resilience is built. [Video]
EarlyEdU Alliance (Publisher). (2018). 13-4 Resilience in the early years. In Child Development: Brain Building Course Book. University of Washington. [UW Pressbooks]
