Resilience is the capacity to bounce back in the face of adversity and to go on to live functional lives with a sense of well being. People can become resilient even though they may have lived in stressful and neglectful family and community environments. But in order for resiliency to surface, it must first be instilled in children. Children face great pressures as they mature and reach adolescence. Within that time, they will face difficulties such as peer pressure, pressure to maintain good grades, to belong to the in-group, and to excel at sports. But the one anomaly about children is that they are more likely to develop a resilient mind-set and confidence when they are aware of their strengths. "Resilient people have the capacity to be bent without breaking and the capacity, once bent, to spring back" (Turner, 2001, p. 442). Children have this capacity, but it will not necessarily manifest on its on. Children have a greater chance of being resilient if it is nurtured. By finding their strengths, children can learn to overcome adversity, and instead learn to view the problem as a challenge. The nurturing that needs to take place for children must occur within the scope of where they will be most influenced. This scope starts off with the child's family. It is here where the child will most likely receive the highest amount of influence. Another area for the child to be nurtured is at school, as again, they will spend a large part of their time within the educational system. And lastly, a final area to consider is the child's community involvement. Making a child a contributing community member can go a long way towards helping them develop resiliency. Combined, these three areas will have the greatest influence on the development of a child's resiliency. Each area must carefully instill a sense of belonging and appreciation for the child, allowing them to grow as an individual.
