Ways To Promote Independence in Your Kids
As parents, it’s important to raise kids to do things on their own. After all, we want our children to be self-sufficient adults one day! Consider some simple ways to promote independence in your kids. We list a few of them below to get you started.
Encourage Their Participation
Asking for help sounds easy enough, right? But the trouble is that many moms don’t. We’re used to running our households and tend to take on all the duties without asking others to contribute. You need to develop a system where you operate as a family, so don’t be afraid to request for your little ones to help with household duties. Give them age-appropriate chores to do. For instance, they can help with storing groceries in the pantry, sorting laundry into piles, or assisting their younger siblings in picking up toys. It’s not all on you!
Promote Independent Play
When our kids are babies, we read to them, run around with them, and snuggle them all day, every day. Unfortunately, as our children grow up, we simply can’t dedicate our time and energy to being with them constantly. This is where independent play comes in. This type of play offers numerous benefits, including its ability to boost kids’ confidence and creativity. In other words, it’s an opportunity for your child to try new things and let their imagination roam.
Because we must attend to paying bills, taking phone calls, and so many other things, it’s essential to encourage independent play early. This way, your children can learn to amuse themselves, even when you’re in another room checking items off the to-do list. You can even keep a close eye on them while they play on their own; today’s technology makes that easier than ever. For example, you can install a monitor or equip them with a kid’s smartwatch.
Suggest Responsibility for Their Own Schedule
We must gradually move our kids toward taking ownership of their day-to-day routines. You can help your child create their daily schedule—however, trust them to follow through with it on their own. This routine can involve making their bed, brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and so on. Routines help kids become responsible for themselves; as they continually run through their daily schedule, they’ll be able to easily predict what they need to do each day. Plus, they’ll ultimately feel pleased with what they accomplish. Remember to let them know that you’re proud of them, too. When it comes to getting certain behaviors to stick, praise goes a long way!
There are numerous ways to promote independence in your kids, but we only listed just a few of them. As moms, we must identify opportunities where our children can become more responsible as they grow. Through teaching our kids these things, we can help them succeed in their future endeavors.
