It is understandable when parents get a little protective of their children. However, being overprotective may not be a good thing when your child becomes too dependent on you all the time. Here are a few ways to raise independent children.
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Encouraging Effort
Sometimes letting your child do something by themselves may just be the best way for them to gain independence. The first few times, they would of course need your guidance and help. After some time, it is good for you to encourage them to attempt doing something by themselves.
For example, doing their own homework, eating their own food, tying their own shoelaces, brushing their own teeth and more. They may be able to learn how to do it without having to constantly rely on you to accomplish simple tasks.
Things may get messy on their first tries, but you will have to let them experience completing tasks on their own or they may just never learn. Once they’ve mastered carrying out their own simple tasks, they might even help you out with yours soon.
Letting Them Decide
Children would feel more comfortable in being independent if you let them have the power of making a choice. You can start by letting them decide what they want to wear for the day, what flavour of ice cream they want for dessert, what sandwich they want for lunch and more.
Letting them make small decisions would give them more confidence and sense of control over choosing what they want for themselves. This can help children develop a more independent way of thinking instead of always having to seek for their parents’ take on everything.
The method enables children to feel like they have a right to make their own choices on certain things. With parents’ guidance, a child can learn to make rational decisions as they grow up and won’t always be lost and reliant on their parents.
Have A Little Faith
This may be hard to achieve if you’re an overprotective parent, but you will have to let your child go out of their comfort zone at times. All you need to do is have a little faith in your child and the environment you let them in.
For instance, trust in your child to take care of themselves in school, let them go on school trips, allow them to go to their friends’ houses. These experiences your child go through without you is one step closer for them to learn and adapt being independent without you by their side.
I’m sure we’ve all seen overprotective parents who won’t allow their kids to participate in such activities because they’re too worried. You may be doing this because you care about your children a lot but so do all parents.
It is extremely important to prepare children for the world they have to live in without you someday. Wanting to protect your child is one thing, but if your child can never live without your guidance, it will be a problem for them in the future.
For more parenting advice and tips, please visit Motherhood.com.my.