About Grit

There’s an old saying:

“Hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times, easy times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”

So in 2025 - when we’re far removed from the challenges of a hunter-gatherer world and can order groceries with a tap on a screen - how do we raise strong, resilient kids?

We’re not talking about physical toughness, but rather the kind of mental strength that carries children through setbacks, frustration, and failure. 

Some call it grit.

"A Bad Day of Baseball" was the feature book at TotSpotSocial's recent "Toddlers and Tools" event

In my children’s book A Bad Day of Baseball, I explore this very theme. The main character, Jack, has a rough game but is celebrated by his teammates for showing grit. 

But how do you teach a child to develop grit? Is it something you either have or don’t have? How do you teach parents to standby and witness the struggles that a child has to navigate in order to experience an opportunity to grow in grit?

Mom Counselor Stacy McCann recently spoke on this topic at Toddlers and Tools, a parenting series hosted by the play space Tot Spot Social in the Clayton/DeMun neighborhood in St. Louis County, candidly sharing that she believes grit and resilience can be learned skills. But how?

Here are a few of Stacy’s strategies for parents to help their children grow in grit:

• Model what it looks like to try again, to lose well, and to cheer others on

• Let kids face small challenges and encourage them to try again

• Talk openly about how everyone struggles and even share your own stories of perseverance

  
  

Stacy even shared some phrases that parents or caregivers can use:

• “I noticed you kept going even when it got hard. That’s grit.”

• “Mistakes help us learn. What could we do differently next time?”

• “It’s ok to be upset. You can try again next time.”

  
  

McCann explained that the concept of grit is important beyond sports. “Children who learn sportsmanship build empathy, confidence, and strong social skills,” she said. “Children who develop grit are more likely to succeed in school, relationships, and future goals.”