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Childhood today isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Kids these days have to deal with the slings and arrows of social media, standardized testing, and organized sports, on top of all of the stuff we had to deal with as kids. So how can you help your kid get through it all without getting burned out? Teach them to be resilient. We’re not saying you need to send them off into the forest for thirty days with nothing more than a hatchet. But we are saying to give them a longer leash. Here are a few tips on how to build your child’s resilience.

Don’t be overprotective

It’s easy to laugh at picture of parents with their kids on real physical leashes. But at the same time, you might be more of a helicopter parent than you need to be too. You might not let them play in the yard without you watching, or you might show up early to pick them up at school just so that they know you’ll be there. These are some ways that you can be a little less overprotective so your child can deal with the stress of figuring things out on their own.

Don’t give them all of the answers

Kids have a lot of questions. And while it might be nice to feel like a genius when your kid believes that you know everything, it’s not the best idea for raising a resilient kiddo. So, try responding with “I don’t know” or “what do you think” every once in a while when your kid asks you a question. You might be surprised at how quickly they figure it out on their own.

Let them make mistakes

Making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn. And while it makes sense to prevent your kid from making dangerous mistakes like getting into the chemicals under the sink, there are some mistakes that are okay to let your child make and learn from.

Being a parent isn’t easy. Yes, that is the most obvious statement in the world. But it can in fact be easier and more fun when you give your child more responsibility and let them figure things out on their own. Your child is smarter than you think and having them build up their resilience early on will be a skill they benefit from for the rest of their lives.