5 Ways To Teach Your Child To Be More Independent
Being a parent is a lot of joy, as you can help guide your child through the world and teach them about all the fun things it offers. When going on this journey, it’s easy to turn from a parent into a guide and carefully curate how they experience everything. Children also need the ability to explore the world by themselves, and you must teach your children to be more independent. It sounds daunting, but there are many easy ways to accomplish it.
Small Steps
If you want your child to be more independent, you must find small areas to start. Tossing them into the deep end of freedom can be frightening for them, so be sure to go slowly. That means giving them independence when it comes to smaller tasks, such as:
- Brushing their teeth
- Bathing
- Getting dressed
- Putting together their lunch
- Reading bedtime books
- Going to bed
Small steps like this can add up and help your child feel more independent and better take on more significant tasks later in life.
Montessori Education
One way to teach your child to be more independent is by looking into a Montessori education. This educational method prioritizes a child’s natural interests and focuses on hands-on learning. It’s a great way to foster a child’s independence and help them develop real-world skills. There are different Montessori education schools, learning resources, and even methods you can use right in your home.
Give Them Time and Space
A big part of a Montessori learning method is giving your child time and space to exist separate from their parents. It can be scary letting them be alone for so long, but it’s at these times that they can fully discover their independence and what they want to do. When spending all their time with their parents, children learn to do what pleases the parents rather than find what they prefer themselves. Extended periods of alone time to play and draw are critical in fostering a child’s independence.
Let Them Make Mistakes
In addition to giving your children more opportunities to be independent, you must allow them to make mistakes. When your child is acting independently, don’t hover over them and immediately correct them when they’ve done something wrong. Instead, let them make a mistake and learn from the consequences. Or, if it’s something like not brushing their teeth properly, let them make a mistake and offer a correction later so they can try again.
Give Them an Allowance
Teaching your children about the value of money is important, and it’s a great way to get them on board with completing tasks and being more independent. An allowance shouldn’t dominate their life and get in the way of hobbies and being a kid, but it’s a way to instill in them the value of hard work and independence. Something like cleaning up after themselves and washing dishes isn’t something they need to do all the time, but it is something they should do, and to help them, you should supply a little incentive.
Teaching your child to be more independent isn’t too difficult, but learning to trust them when giving them space can be tricky. Thankfully, some devices like TickTalk Tech’s child safety GPS tracker smartwatch can provide peace of mind. Your child can be independent, but you can still keep a watchful eye and be able to contact them when necessary!
