Fredericksburg Parent

14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2025 Raising healthy, resilient children takes intention, structure, and a strong support system. Building certain protective factors into every- day life can significantly reduce risky behaviors like substance use, vio- lence, and school dropout. Prevention Services at the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB) is here to support families in creating a strong foundation for lifelong well-being. The list below is adapted from the work of Michael Ungar, PhD., a Canadian scholar in the field of resilience who developed this framework of "Nine Things All Children Need to Be Resilient." WRITTEN BY EMILY FREEHLING 1. Structure: Children Feel Loved Through Boundaries What it means: Kids need consistent rules, routines, and expectations. Try this: Set clear expectations for bedtime, chores, and screen time— and stick to them. Prevention tip: Consistency builds trust and reduces anxiety, which can lower the likelihood of risky behavior. Sherrie Johnson, LPC, LMFT, a mental health outpatient therapist with RACSB, recommends establishing family rituals that children can come to depend on over the years. While family dinners are excellent, she said a regular breakfast or weekly movie night could be just as good in households with busy schedules. These can be an important touchstone when children hit adolescence, when they naturally start to crave more privacy and time alone or in their rooms. "Parents can try to strike a balance of giving their children some space, but also establishing the norm that they will join in family dinners or activities," Johnson said. sponsored material PROTECTIVE FAC TO R S Build a Foundation of RESILIENCE Sponsored by Rappahannock Area Community Services Board Prevention Services 2. Consequences: Teaching Accountability Without Shame What it means: Kids feel secure when actions have fair out- comes. Try this: Let children fix mistakes and make amends. Discipline with dignity—not punishment. Prevention tip: Accountability builds empathy and decision- making skills. 3. Parent-Child Connections: Show Up and Stay Present What it means: Strong bonds with parents are essential, no mat- ter a child's age. Try this: Share meals, turn off devices, and show affection daily— even teens need it. Prevention tip: Secure attachment helps kids resist peer pressure and make healthier choices. Johnson, with RACSB, notes that strong bonds are built through repeatedly responding to the verbal and non-verbal cues children give about their needs—at any age. "If a parent is present and hearing their child, even when they are really little, when they cry, do they respond to them? When they are scared to try something new, do they encourage them? All of this builds in the child the knowledge that they are going to have that secure home base to land," she said. "It requires not only encouraging your child to speak, but also hearing your child."

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