It’s never too early for parents to foster mental resilience in their children. Yet there are so many common, easily avoidable parenting mistakes that can jeopardize the process. Kids with well-developed mental resilience stand a greater chance of feeling empowered to follow their dreams, and take failure on the chin, as they enter adulthood. So what are some of the ways parents can nurture, rather than hinder, their kids’ mental development? According to therapist Dr. Tracy Hutchinson, there are seven major parenting errors to avoid. 1. Invalidating a child’s feelings Children tend to express their emotions openly, by default. A parent who resorts to phrases such as “Don’t cry,” or “It’s not worth getting upset over,” is invalidating their child’s experience of the world. The child will learn to suppress emotions. By validating a child’s emotions and asking them what they need, the child will feel heard and will learn …