For if one area falters, then the entire process may become disrupted, and the child may never learn to understand what it is like to be resilient when faced with a challenge.
Family will more than likely have the greatest influence on a child with regards to the child developing resiliency. As the child matures, his or her parents, as well as siblings, will each in some way influence the child's development. This is due to the fact that the child will learn from what it observes and what feedback it receives. In order for the observations and feedback to be positive, it is important for the parents, in particular, to identify and reinforce their child's areas of strength. "Rather than always trying to "fix" our children, we should search for ways to build on their strengths" (Conway, 2001, p.64). Building on the their strengths will give the child confidence in their abilities. Another important factor that must exist within the family is a secure attachment to a primary caregiver. When one adult knows the child well and cares deeply about the well being of the child, the child will feel acknowledged and develop a sense of security and trust with that adult. This, in turn, will allow the adult to influence the child in developing positive attributes, such as social competence, problem solving skills, autonomy, and a sense of purpose and future. The more the family unit is involved with the development of the child, the more the child will become influenced with the family's attitudes. What needs to be encouraged is the positive aspects of the family, so that they child can gain greater perspective and resiliency.
As with family, school will also have a great impact on the development of resiliency with children. In order for resiliency to develop with the school system, it will be necessary to move away from common school practices. New areas of development need to be acknowledged.
