While I was busy teaching my toddler how things work in the world, he taught me a lot about resilience. Crazy, right? What could a small child who’s only been around for a handful of years know about resiliency?
It turns out, a lot.
And it didn’t take a lot of explaining, either. He showed it in his actions.
Here are the five lessons my toddler taught me about resilience and why they’re essential reminders for parents everywhere.
When They Fall, They Get Back Up
Toddlers are the masters of persistence. Whether it was learning to walk, climb, or stacking blocks, my son embraced failure as part of the process. And when he did stumble, or fail, he’d let out a few tears, but he always got back up and tried again.
Parent Takeaway: Embrace setbacks as opportunities to grow. Like your toddler, keep moving forward no matter how often you stumble. It’s okay to fall. We just need to remember to get back up and try again.
Celebrate Small Wins
For toddlers, every accomplishment—no matter how small—is cause for celebration. Whether it’s putting on a shirt by themselves (no matter how long it takes!) or building a tower, they revel in their achievements. From the tiny claps to happy dances, this innate ability to find joy in progress is a lesson in appreciating the journey as much as the destination.
Parent Takeaway: Celebrate your own small victories, whether it’s completing a task at work or surviving bedtime without a tantrum. Pat yourself on the back! None of this is easy.
Live in the Moment
My son didn’t dwell on the past, nor did he overthink whether he should play with this toy or that or worry about the future. (How lovely!) His focus was always on the present—whether it was stacking cups or which tower he should knock over next. This ability to stay present not only kept him occupied, it kept him focused on the here and now.
Parent Takeaway: Sometimes we need to put our devices down to stop the inevitable doom scroll and re-learn to live in the moment. It not only keeps us focused on what’s important, it also keeps us from missing out on all the little moments. And maybe it’ll also keep us from dwelling on the things that don’t matter in the first place.
Be Bold and Curious
From asking endless “why” questions to exploring every corner of the playground and home, my son approached the world with bold curiosity. He wasn’t afraid to try new things, make new friends on the playground – even if he never saw them again, or do things to ‘see what happens’. He lived so freely in his boldness and curiosity.
Parent Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to take risks or try something new. Whether it’s pursuing a dream, starting a project, or tackling a challenge, channel your own toddler’s boldness and curiosity. What would [insert your child’s name here] do?
Keep Going, Even When It’s Hard
We’ve all seen our toddlers throw tantrums when things don’t go their way. Yet, once the storm passes, they seem to move on and keep trying. Their ability to recover quickly from emotional setbacks is a reminder that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges but about pushing through them.
Parent Takeaway: Allow yourself to feel and process difficult emotions, but don’t let them stop you. Like your toddler, you have the strength to keep going.
The resilience of my toddler and toddlers everywhere is a reminder of the strength we all have within us. By observing their persistence, joy, mindfulness, boldness, and ability to recover, we can find inspiration to navigate through life’s challenges with determination.
Celebrate your toddler’s and your resilience—because parenting is one of life’s greatest tests of resilience.