Every parent wants their child to be resilient — to bounce back, to face life’s challenges head-on. But how do you teach that? Can you even teach that?
Chris Robshaw doesn’t believe resilience comes from books or motivational quotes. It comes from life experience — from setbacks, failures, and what you do next.
“Resilience is built the hard way — by getting knocked down and choosing to get back up.”
And he’s not just speaking in theory.
Chris didn’t make his under-16 county rugby team. His name wasn’t called. Not just a private rejection — a public one. Everyone in the room knew he hadn’t made the cut.
“You just hear them read out the names… and yours isn’t there. And you’re like — wow. That’s it.”
But that wasn’t it. He kept going.
Injury after Injury
When he turned pro, things didn’t get easier. Quite the opposite. He broke his foot. Twice. Then his leg. Then his knee. Then his hand.
He started to doubt himself.
“I phoned my mum in tears. I said, I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.”
She gave him some classic mum advice: drink more milk. And while milk didn’t fix his injuries — the underlying message did. Keep going. Don’t stop now.
That’s resilience.
The Classroom Can Be a Battlefield Too
Chris was also severely dyslexic growing up. Reading aloud in class was his nightmare. Copying from the board took twice as long.
Now, his son is walking the same path.
“Every time the teacher writes the learning objective on the board, he’s learning resilience. He’s fighting harder than most kids just to keep up.”
It’s exhausting. But it’s powerful. Because resilience is being built in those small daily battles.
How Do We Teach Our Kids This?
By letting them fail. Letting them feel disappointed. And then being there to help them get back up.
“As parents, we want to protect. But if we don’t let them fall, we rob them of the chance to grow.”
Chris says we need to talk about these moments. Celebrate the bounce-back, not just the win. Remind our kids that setbacks are part of the story — not the end of it.
Resilience in the Real World
Resilience isn’t just about sport. It’s about life. It’s about being dropped from a team, having your heart broken, not getting the job — and still showing up the next day.
“It’s not just about getting through it. It’s about what you learn, and who you become because of it.”
Chris’s story proves that resilience is built over time — forged in the tough moments and sharpened by support.
🎧 Click here to listen to the full podcast for more insight into how we can raise resilient kids.
