Why is it so important to let your child make mistakes ?
As parents, of course we want to protect our children from danger, from upset, from things not turning out how they hoped. But we also need to realize that it’s not just okay, but essential, to let our children make mistakes.
A mistake is not a failure.
Watching our children make mistakes is painful… Knowing when to step in and when to stay back can be tough, but it’s also one of the best parenting tools you have.
Your children learn important lessons from making mistakes, and gain confidence when they spring back from them. An important part of emotional intelligence is knowing what to do after you’ve made a mistake.
But it is important to explain to children that their mistakes were not failures, that doing mistakes happen to anyone.
Let them solve their own problems.
Part of life is growing up from a child into an adult. It’s a process in which we learn from our mistakes and work through our problems to get the skills necessary for the next part of our lives. Because of this, it is important that we, as parents, allow our children to solve their own problems rather than rescuing them at every setback.
By allowing and teaching them to solve their own problems, they will gain independence and be able to get along in the world without your watchful eye or constant guidance. They will need to get a job, go to college, pay bills and rent, do their own laundry, cook their own meals and everything. These are all adult situations that are more easily handled if they previously had the opportunity to figure out problems on their own.
The perspectives they gain of solving their problems can teach them sympathy for others. They gain an understanding of how the world works and how to get along with others.
They gain confidence and self-esteem.
We can all remember a time when we finally overcame a problem we had struggled with. The proud feeling we had after that, as a result. Then by finding their own solutions, your children will gain confidence and self-esteem.
Through their errors, they will develop coping skills and slowly begin to realize how their decisions can make or break them. They will feel confident to comfort the challenges of life without fear of falling and never getting back up on their feet.
Then let your child make mistakes and gain confidence, it is all about their personal development.
Involve them in the decision-making.
Do you know what is the best gifts you can give your child ? This is the independence to make their own decisions. It’s a pretty hard exercise for parents but let your child decide for himself. Let him realize that his decision of doing this or that activities was not a good decision. Doing mistakes will encourage your child to make better decisions in life. Parents can even involve their children in the decision-making. This will develop their confidence. For example by choosing what they want to eat for the diner, what clothes they want to wear today or what movie they want to watch… Obviously, the goal is not to let the kids decide for all and all the time, but let them involve in decision-making.
Of course, as any parent, we won’t stop worrying and being concerned about our children’s feelings.
Then let our child make mistakes for the good reason.
A child’s picture of success is different from yours. So be careful not to impose your values on them. You can be your children hero, but let them be their own hero, too.
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