Gaining much more independence and increasingly doing a plethora of things without the help of the parents is a vital and natural part of growing up. That said, what can parents specifically do to ensure that their kids are obtaining the support that they require to become self-reliant and confident ?
Mentioned below are ways by which parents can encourage independence and responsibility for their child’s growth and development.
01. Performing Household Chores
Based on how focused and dependable your child can be, they must be given the task of handling age-appropriate household chores, including sweeping floors and washing dishes. Aditya Birla World Academy (ABWA), the best international school in Mumbai , always stresses this point when it comes to the growth and development of its students. Even young children can help in setting the table and straightening up the rooms. Chores offer children a sense of responsibility and can help in boosting their self-confidence because they observe that their work eventually makes a valuable contribution to the household.
02. Creating Menus and Shopping for Groceries
The best thing that you can do for your child is to teach them how to be adept in the kitchen, eventually preparing simple meals. Besides teaching children healthy eating habits, shopping and cooking together are excellent opportunities for families to spend some quality time together. Moreover, children often share facets about themselves and what is precisely going on in their lives while they are cooking, shopping, or eating together. This eventually fosters childhood independence.
03. Caring for Siblings and Other Children
Caring for younger children is one of the most optimum ways to teach children responsibility and maturity. Take a peek at some of the best babysitters in the neighbourhood. Chances are high that those teens will eventually turn out to be reliable, grounded, and caring young individuals. Trusting an older child to take care of the younger ones is a wonderful way to teach children to be both responsible and independent. A Level Schools (such as ABWA) encourage parents to teach their children this vital skill.
04. Prepare Solo Social Outings
As children get older, they eventually spend more time away from their homes, performing tasks on their own. School-age children will be surely invited to more birthday celebrations where parents do not tend to tag along. If your child is mentally ready, you could arrange for play dates at your own house and let them decide what activities they may want to suggest to their pals. If your child is shy and not mentally ready, you need to be supportive (and not judgemental) while simultaneously keeping trying. Childhood independence thus gets a shot in the arm.
05. Volunteering
For very young kids, everything revolves around their needs and wants. That said, when children help others, they learn to think beyond themselves, which is a vital step toward attaining maturity.
An added benefit of having children volunteer (be it to help an elderly neighbour or prepare basic snacks for needy families) is that your child will be far less likely to be “spoiled” or suffer from “affluenza.” On the contrary, they will be more likely to be both kind and empathetic as adults.
06. Keeping Track of Homework
A Level Schools such as ABWA support this trend among its students. It is one thing to help your child organise their homework and get them successfully into the habit of keeping track of when they would need to study for examinations. That said, those in middle school or high school would not need their parents’ help in keeping track of schoolwork. ABWA, which is the best international school in Mumbai, ensures that good work habits are instilled in their students so that they learn to take care of their responsibilities independently while they grow older.
07. Organising Their Schedule
It is ideal to give your child a calendar and successfully get them into a habit of jotting down important details, dates, and appointments. As they get older, they would surely feel the need to keep a track of things such as doctors’ appointments, friends’ birthdays, play dates, recitals or games, and much more. Independent children will rely on themselves rather than their parents to know what needs to be done.
08. Becoming Independent Thinkers
Encourage your child to form their own opinions on everything, from current news to fictional stories to historical milestones. Talk freely about news events over dinner or while driving. Get your child to tell you what they think about various issues. When you listen to them earnestly, you are demonstrating that their opinions matter to you and that their thoughts and ideas are worthwhile and valuable.
The Bottomline
By showing your child that independence is a must for both of you and by offering support when they feel clingy or if they require much more space to perform tasks on their own, you are eventually setting the stage for your child’s growth and development at their own pace, with self-assurance and confidence.
