Emotionally Strong Kids

Brooks Gibbs explains that children’s emotions are shaped not only by what happens to them, but by how they interpret it. Parents can build emotional resilience by helping children replace rigid expectations and distorted thinking—such as perfectionism, catastrophizing, and the need for approval—with flexible, realistic beliefs. Questions like “How could this be worse?”, “Why won’t this matter in the future?”, and “How could this work for your good?” help children think clearly, tolerate frustration, and respond more calmly to life’s challenges.