By Sarah Chana Radcliffe
"I'm afraid to have that conversation with her because she will react very badly..."
Don't overestimate your child's fragility or underestimate his or her resilience and strength. We humans are built to weather the storms of life and no, we do not immediately collapse in the face of challenge. In fact, each challenge that we successfully navigate builds our overall confidence, courage and optimism. If your child gives you the impression that he or she simply cannot cope with unpleasant information, feedback or requests, it may be a learned behavior; it's possible that you have backed down or backed off in the face of your child's intensely negative emotional display. This can teach a child that he or she may be able to avoid dealing with life's unpleasant side by, essentially, throwing a fit. The fit scares the parents into avoiding pressuring the youngster in the future. Unfortunately, the lack of demand weakens the child, just like the avoidance of using a muscle weakens that muscle.