September 23, 2008

Explaining the loss of a home or job to young children can be difficult for parents. However, even during tough economic times, families can take steps to develop resilience, the coping mechanism needed to recover from life's challenges, say University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) education professors Lynn Kirkland, Ed.D., and Janice Patterson, Ph.D.

Lynn Kirkland, Ed.D., and Janice Patterson, Ph.D., are associate professors of early childhood education in the UAB School of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction. They published an article in the spring issue of Childhood Education on sustaining resilient families for children in the primary grades. Their tips are as follows:

• Strive to maintain an optimistic outlook even when times get tough. "Resilient families celebrate holidays, attend soccer games, school plays and community picnics as a family. There are regular mealtimes and birthday celebrations. The house is clean enough to be functional and pleasant. Family conflict is minimized in front of children."
• Talk and solve problems together. "Families need to include everyone in discussions related to problems that individual family members are experiencing or those that might affect the entire family," Kirkland said. "Children learn problem solving skills when they are part of the process. They watch as family members examine all sides of an issue, resulting in consensus on the solution. Children also need to see that solutions sometimes don't work, but it's the process that teaches the valuable lessons. This process also affirms the role of the child in the family."
• Communicate through literature. Families can use children's literature as a way to initiate caring conversations related to the problems the family is facing, Kirkland and Patterson said. Talking about a book's plot and characters that relate to the family's situation can provide a way for children to consider the lives of other people and how they deal with difficult situations.