The journey to independence is one of the most exciting times of your child’s life. Your child is becoming their own person every day. As they become more aware of their surroundings, they love to explore.
It’s one thing for your child to want to do everything themselves; it’s another thing entirely for them to actually succeed at doing so! We all want our kids to grow up to be independent and self-sufficient, but it’s not always easy.
When it comes to encouraging independence in children, we want to strike a balance between offering the right amount of support and letting them figure things out on their own.
You can take steps to foster independence in your child at an early age so they can learn how to do things on their own and explore the world around them with confidence without making too much of a fuss.
Start young
The earlier you start encouraging independence, the better. It’s never too early to teach them how to dress themselves or use the potty, for example. If they’re old enough (about 18 months), teach them how to hold a spoon and feed themselves before moving on to using cutlery at the table. This will come in handy later on when you have more than one child and don’t have time for everything!
Give a chance
Don’t be afraid to let your child try new things on their own. If they want to pour their own milk or use a fork, let them try! If they want to feed themselves, let them try! If they want to dress themselves, let them try!
If your child spills their drink on the floor or breaks something, don’t clean it up right away—let them do it themselves! Let them know it’s okay and don’t punish them for it. Letting them learn from their mistakes will allow them to make better choices in the future.
Avoid over-helping or over-protecting your young child. You may need to step in when they are in danger or when something is too difficult for them to handle on their own, but otherwise, let them learn how to do things themselves. Allow them time and space when they are working on something—don’t rush or distract them during this time.
Offer choices
One of the most effective ways to encourage your child’s independence is by giving them choices and letting them make decisions for themselves. Start with simple choices, like what color socks to wear or which cereal to eat for breakfast, but don’t stop there! You can also give your child more complex choices, like what movie they want to watch or where they want to go on vacation next year.
Encourage conversation with your child about what they want to do or what they like doing by asking questions such as, “What would you like for lunch?” or “Do you want to go outside?” when they are playing alone in their room or playing with toys.
This will help them feel more confident in their abilities and give them a sense of control over their world because they have an option if something doesn’t work out well at first try (like wearing different colored socks).
Let go of perfectionism
Don’t make everything perfect! Helping with everything doesn’t mean that you should make everything perfect for your child; it means that you should help them get there, even if it takes more time or effort than usual. Letting go of perfectionism will allow you to help them learn instead of spending all your energy trying to make everything perfect for them.
Praise their effort instead of just results when your child tries something new or does something well—even if it doesn’t turn out exactly like you’d hoped or expected! For example, instead of saying, “That’s beautiful!” say, “Wow! You did such a great job painting!
Final Thoughts
When it comes to raising children, there are so many things that we want to do right. We want them to be successful and happy in their lives. But sometimes, the best way to help them achieve their goals is by giving them space and freedom in their choices.
Children who are given the opportunity to make choices and take risks are more likely to enjoy life as adults because they’ve had practice making decisions for themselves. It’s also important because it teaches children that failure is part of life, but you don’t have to let it stop you from trying again.
It’s natural for parents to want their children to be independent and self-sufficient. You don’t want your child to need you every time they need something. But at the same time, it’s important to let your child know that you are always there for them when they need help.
written by Shandy Lwieka,
Tutor Time Indonesia
All comments (1)
Amel
Taking your child on a journey to independence is so important! You might find valuable insights in this event.
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