Welcome to a special episode of Blueprints! Today we're excited to welcome on the show our first ever guest interview.

Elizabeth Orthmann is a licensed marriage and family therapist with expertise in trauma, attachment, and parenting. She joins Greg and Cody to discuss how to build endurance and resilience into kids.

Key Takeaways from the Episode:

1. The Big Idea:
   • Discussing the importance of 'enduring with'—how shared experiences of overcoming obstacles can foster resilience in children.
2. Expert Insights:
   • Elizabeth Orthman shares her professional perspective on how endurance can be cultivated in children through parental support and real-life application.
3. What’s at Stake:
   • The inability to endure hardships may lead to poor coping mechanisms in adulthood, making resilience a crucial skill for children to develop.

Practical Steps for Cultivating Endurance:

1. Encourage Problem-Solving:
   • Teach children to face small, manageable challenges to build their problem-solving skills and confidence.
2. Create a Supportive Family Environment:
   • Foster a family culture where endurance is valued and practiced, with parents modeling resilient behaviors.
3. Regular Family Discussions:
   • Hold family meetings to discuss challenges and strategies for overcoming them, reinforcing the concept of endurance through collective family experiences.

Favorite Quotes from This Episode:

• "Endurance isn't just about getting through on your own; it's about moving forward together and finding strength in that unity."
• "Building endurance helps children not just survive but thrive through life's inevitable challenges."

Timestamps for Key Sections:

Part 1. 0-20:50.
- Definition of endurance "bearing suffering (10:38)
- Endurance, doing hard things "with" someone: (17:30)

Part 2. 21:03-56:30
- Practical ways to build endurance in kids.
- What if a kid doesn't have a trusted adult to build endurance with them. (33:00)
- How to know when it's become too much for your kid to handle (38:30)
- How to choose what to focus on with your kid in building endurance(43:30)

Resources:
www.gracebasedfamilies.com
https://storytellerstherapy.com/ (Elizabeth Orthmann's LMFT practice)