To see their child become independent is one of the greatest joys in the life of both the parents. Be it day-to-day chores or any other big assignment, seeing their child taking up the responsibility to do it all by herself / himself fills them with pride and happiness. Depending upon the age and enthusiasm of your child you can start delegating her / him some work.
Taking individual responsibility at an early age will provide your child with a sense of maturity and also excite her / him for a new challenge. While your child gets her / his first face-off with this new experience, here’s what you need to bear in mind as a parent:
- Show confidence in their capabilities: Once you have decided to let your child get on to the independence wagon, it’s time to show confidence in her / him. Always keep a positive attitude towards her / him and put complete faith behind her / his efforts.
- Guide and set them free to take their own decisions: Since your child is in the initial stage of becoming independent, you still have to play the role of a guide and help her / him. Teach her / his all you think is needed for her / him become independent and let her / him have a shot at it.
- Let them take lead: If your child is old enough to handle the whole process on her / his own and wants to lead from the front, let her / him take charge without thinking about it too much. Taking lead is a sign that she / he is mentally prepared for the job.
- Don’t expect them to be perfect: As a parent you are bound to expect your child to do everything perfectly. But since they are just learning to be independent, don’t keep your expectations too high and be ready to accept her / his failures.
Praise their efforts: The last step that completes your child’s journey to become independent is appreciation. The degree of your appreciation will depend upon the level of your child’s success. Even if the results of her / his effort do not overwhelm you very much, praising her / his efforts will motivate her / him to do better the next time.
Learning to be independent is equally important for the child and her / his parents. Independence makes a child more confident. As a parent try to give as many opportunities as you can to your child to prove her / his mettle and shoulder individual responsibility. It will be mutually beneficial for both of you in the future.
