Helping the Pandemic Generation Survive and Thrive

The pandemic has affected us all! But, in what ways has it affected children and teens? What trends do parents and educators see as a result of the pandemic? Are these trends expected? And, perhaps more importantly, what can we do about it?   Michele Borba, EdD, author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine answers these questions and more. Through interviews with hundreds of children and parents, Michele learned what factors help children thrive, even in the face of stress. Tune in as she highlights the mental health challenges young people are facing and why the pandemic is not the only cause. And, you won’t want to miss her insights on simple steps you can take now to help your children thrive!   WHAT WILL YOU DO TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN THRIVE?   What factors that contribute to the current mental health challenges of children and teens, beyond the pandemic, surprised you most? How might you manage your own fears and stressors, so that you can continue to be a protective buffer for your children? What other steps will you take to help your children thrive beyond the pandemic?   WANT TO LEARN MORE?   ❉ THRIVERS: HELPING YOUR KIDS BUILD THE QUALITIES TO SHINE AND THRIVE. If you missed our first interview on Thrivers with Michele Borba, tune in now to hear more about how you can help your children build the qualities that will allow them to shine, even in the face of adversity. Her findings through interviews with children, parents, and experts, challenge the relentless emphasis on perfect grades and test scores (a “pretty package” as one teen said), noting that such high pressure often undermines focus, learning and emotional health. Most importantly, Michele’s findings highlight instead character traits that can be taught from an early age: self-confidence, empathy, self-control, integrity, curiosity, perseverance (or grit) and optimism. Don’t miss this powerful, practical message for parents and anyone who works with or cares about children.   ❉ HELPING CHILDREN BUILD EMPATHY: A DISCUSSION WITH UNSELFIE AUTHOR, MICHELE BORBA. When people ask author and educational psychologist Michele Borba what kids need to be successful and happy, she confidently proclaims, “Empathy!” And yet, our popular culture, with its emphasis on “I” and “me” seems to fly in the face of empathy as a core value. How did we come to this? To what extent has addiction to devices contributed to the decrease in empathy observed by researchers? Most importantly, what can we do now as parents, teachers and other caring adults to make sure children build this important quality of empathy from the earliest years? Dr. Borba joins Marti & Erin for a rich discussion in this Mom Enough episode.