For your child to learn persistence and to be positive in the face of adversity he must be shown that we can all, at times, fail and that failure is merely a learning point on the road to success.

When we do not succeed we must pick ourselves up and carry on.

You are the role model for him, if you don’t succeed in a task then tell him why and then explain that you will continue until you have succeeded. Show him your old school books and essays explaining how you progressed until you achieved the things you wanted too.

Use the stories of Hercules, Jason and the Argonauts and Aesop’s fables ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ to show how perseverance can overcome the most difficult obstacles.

Reinforce his positive behaviours and help him when things become difficult but most of all don’t criticise, use feedback to let him see through his problems to the solutions.