Child Development and Risk-Taking (Overview)(Part 5 of 6)

It has been determined that children who take good risks become more resilient. That is, they tolerate failure and tend to bounce back. They also become more internally motivated by experiencing feelings of accomplishment, and they are more confident because, more often than not, they achieve what they set out to achieve. Some children are more naturally resilient than others, but exposure to good risk-taking increases resilience. (Davis, 2009)

Risk-taking follows a predictable developmental sequence. At different stages, children want and need to venture into unfamiliar territory. Specific developmental tasks of each stage correspond to common stage-appropriate risks. In addition, there are six “universal risks” that are present at each stage of development.

In order to understand your child’s risk-taking behavior, it is important to understand his stage of development. The next six posts should help with that understanding.