Fresh Take: Talia Kovacs on How to Teach Kids Resilience

We know that resilience is a good trait for our kids to have. But can "grit" only be achieved through hardship and repeated failure? Can a kid whose everyday life is pretty cushy still be resilient, and if so, how is that resilience taught?

We talk with resilience coach Talia Kovacs about how resilience is a skill that can be nurtured over time—even in the kid who regularly falls apart when the chicken nuggets touch the peas.

Drawing from her experience as a classroom teacher, literacy expert, and parent coach, Talia explains why today’s kids are struggling with perfectionism, fear of mistakes, and anxiety—and how parents may be unintentionally reinforcing those patterns.

She shares why resilience doesn’t require hardship, how spirituality (a concept distinct from religion) can help children feel grounded, and why independent play and healthy risk-taking matter more than ever.

The conversation explores the difference between raising capable kids versus constantly protecting them, why parents’ own nervous systems shape family resilience, and how changing the stories we tell about our children can help them develop confidence and self-trust.

Here's where you can find Talia:

• https://taliakovacs.com
• Substack: https://substack.com/@taliakovacs
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taliakovacs/

What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

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