Protective Factor for Building a Strong Family: Being Strong and Flexible (Parental Resilience)

Every parent experiences bumps and roadblocks in the parenting journey—especially the first year. It is quite an adjustment as you welcome a new person into the world, then care for that person 24/7. No doubt about it, parenting can be very stressful at times, and it takes an effort to remain positive and protect your baby from your feelings of stress.

Here are some things you can think about to remind yourself of your strengths:

• What was your favorite part of parenting this year?
• What do see as your greatest strength as a parent right now?
• What was the most stressful part of parenting this year?
• How did you manage the stressful times?
• How did you protect your baby from feeling your stress?
• What happy memories do you want to remember so you can share them with your child or others later?
• In what ways does being resilient as a parent help to protect your child from too much stress?