Developing Resiliency in our Students

1. Developing Resiliency in our Students Focusing on the importance of Mental Health • Stephanie Thornton, MSW • School Social Worker - Orchard View Elementary • Sarah Van’t Hof, MA, LPC • School Counselor – Central High

2. Resiliency • Resilient: (adj): • 1) Able to bounce back after change or adversity. • 2) Capable of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from difficult conditions. • Syn: tough

3. Helicopter Parents a style of child rearing in which an overprotective mother or father discourages a child's independence by being too involved in the child's life: In typical helicopter parenting, a mother or father swoops in at any sign of challenge or discomfort.

4. Helicopter Parents…..

5. Lawnmower Parent… A parent who tries to smooth his or her children's paths through life by solving their problems for them.

6. Lawnmower Parents…..

8. What are we trying to achieve? • Typically parents want what is best for their kids and so do educators. • Important to keep in mind that in trying to help, we may actually be causing more harm than good. • Common Goal: Socialization & Independence

10. Why Resiliency emphasis? • America’s newly identified at-risk group: preteens and teens from affluent, well-educated families. • A significant proportion of FHPS families are considered families of affluence • Children from this group are experiencing the highest rates of depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, somatic complaints, and unhappiness of any group of children in the United States. • Are our students thriving?

11. Price of Privilege Statistics • Up to 22% of adolescent girls from financially comfortable families suffer from clinical depression. (Three times the national rate of depression for adolescent girls.) • By the end of high school, as many as ⅓ of these girls can demonstrate clinically significant symptoms of anxiety. • Boys from affluent families also exhibit elevated rates of anxiety and depression early in high school. • For boys entering 11th and 12th grade, the most significant problem is the frequency with which they use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate their depression. Luthar, S.S & C. Sexton, (2005), “ The high price of affluence,” in R. Kail, ed., Advances in Child Development (San Diego, CA: Academic Press)

12. What is causing this? • According to research, the culture of affluence (consisting of material advantage, pressure to achieve, and perfectionism) is raising disconnected and dependent young people who have under-developed senses of self. • When the adults in a child’s life intervene for them, as opposed to supporting the child’s attempts to problem solve, the consequence is a non-autonomous youngster with no idea where he/she fits in. • In addition, an unintentional message that he/she is incapable or incompetent is often communicated. Luthar, S.S & C. Sexton, (2005), “ The high price of affluence,” in R. Kail, ed., Advances in Child Development (San Diego, CA: Academic Press)

13. What is a healthy sense of self? • The desire to feel that actions originate from within: I can do it myself, I can handle it myself, I can figure it out myself. Young people with healthy senses of self are ready and able to “own” their lives. • Affluent children are often so protected from even the most minor disappointments and frustrations that the development of critical coping skills is significantly impaired. • Dr. David Fassler: “in order for young people to learn how to cope with normal frustrations, with ups and downs, they first have to experience them.”

14. Resiliency Quiz Preview… Rate yourself from 1 to 5 on the following: (1 = very little, 5 = very strong) 1 2 3 4 5

15. 5 Steps to Building Resilience 1. Be positive & focus on strengths 2. Encourage team activities (extra-curriculars) 3. Mistakes are ok – encourage “sticktoitiveness” 4. Life is not fair 5. Set a good example

16. How can YOU help? • Promote AAA Events: • Jeff Yalden, Motivational Speaker from MTV • November 4, 2014 at the Fine Arts Center • November 4 & 5 at FHC, FHE, & FHN to talk to our students • Help increase awareness; we need our kids to build resilience to learn how to cope when difficult times occur.