Fresh Take: Talia Kovacs on How to Teach Kids Resilience

Fresh Take: Talia Kovacs on How to Teach Kids Resilience

From What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson

June 12, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

Talia Kovacs discusses how resilience can be taught to children, even in comfortable environments, and the importance of independent play and healthy risk-taking.

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…

People in this episode

Hosts: Margaret Ables, Amy Wilson

Guest: Talia Kovacs

Topics covered

  • resilience
  • parenting
  • children's mental health
  • independent play
  • anxiety
  • perfectionism

Keywords

  • resilience
  • parenting
  • children
  • anxiety
  • perfectionism
  • independent play
  • risk-taking

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: What Fresh Hell

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