This book offers coping strategies for facing the combined elements of academic performance, high achievement standards, media messages, peer pressure, and family tension.

Includes index. Includes online videos.

Part 1. Resilience and stress. Why resilience? -- Stress and its effects -- Ingredients of resilience: 7 crucial C's -- Not letting others undermine your child's resilience (or psych you out!). Part 2. Competence and confidence. Getting out of the way -- The value of play -- Noticing, praising, and criticizing -- Authentic success -- Thinking clearly -- No more lectures -- "I get it!" -- Changing behavior step-by step -- Shifting the blame to save face -- Media literacy -- Not being broken -- Building confidence. Part 3. Connection, character, and contribution. Connection -- The art and importance of listening -- Strengthening family ties -- Widening the circle -- Some cautions about connection -- Supporting resilience in military families -- Nurturant connections offer meaningful protection against the effects of childhood trauma -- Character -- Grit: the character trait that drives performance -- Contribution. Part 4. Coping. Getting a grip on stress -- Taking action -- Taking care of your body -- Taking care of your emotions. Part 5. Control. Styles of discipline -- Positive discipline strategies -- Increasing kids' control -- Delaying gratification -- Preparing our families for lifelong interdependence -- One rung at a time -- Not everything is within our control. Part 6. When resilience is challenged beyond reasonable limits. Extreme circumstances -- Turning for help -- When your own resilience reaches its limits. Part 7. Especially for communities and individual teens. Community-based resilience-building strategies -- Just for kids: a personalized guide for managing stress -- Parting thoughts.