Children learn early behavior patterns by observing their parents.

Lynn Lyons, a psychotherapist who co-authored the book "Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children," admits that we all mess up and that parenting takes practice.Since children are always watching, Lyons says it's important for parents to be calm and consistent in front of them.Unfortunately, we have become a culture of trying to make sure our kids are comfortable, but as Lyons points out, life doesn't work that way. Overprotecting kids only fuels their anxiety.Therefore it's important for parents to teach their children how to problem solve and equip them with the skills to handle the unexpected. Resilient kids are problem solvers who can handle what is thrown at them with a sense of confidence.Emotional stability management is key to being resilient, which will help kids navigate through both the triumphs as well as the trials and tribulations of childhood and adolescence.Last weekend, we heard the inspiring story of a 7-year-old girl who certainly showed resiliency in the face of extreme and tragic circumstances. The child and her family were flying from Key West, Florida, to their home state of Illinois when their private plane crashed in rugged terrain in western Kentucky.After surviving the crash that claimed her father, mother, sister and cousin, the girl found herself alone in the dark of night.Although dressed in a light top and shorts for Florida weather, the girl had to trudge barefoot in near-freezing temperatures for nearly a mile in order to find help.Larry Wilkins, 71, was surprised to hear someone at his door Friday night, and after opening, was stunned to see a child scratched, bleeding and sobbing. The girl told him that she was in a plane crash and that her mom and her dad were dead.The girl was transported to a hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.It took police just over two hours to locate the crash site and the four victims inside the plane.After hearing the little girl's story, it's apparent that she had received good parenting and enough basic survival skills to handle her traumatic event. The resiliency she exhibited at such a young age helped her navigate through the kind of challenge and life-and-death crisis that few of us will ever have to experience in our lifetimes.By JIM ZBICKtneditor@tnonline.com