Your tot would sometimes do things clumsily like pouring water in a glass and spilling a few drops on the table. You feel the urge to wipe it up yourself but letting him do things his own will actually help him better. He’ll grow up as an independent, self-reliant and confident kid.
1. Have Patience
Sometimes out of convenience, you put back your child’s toys in the box even though she is already capable of doing so because it’s actually faster to clean up the mess.
This should not be, however. Your child needs to know that he can accomplish tasks to foster independence. Habitually doing things for your child that she’s capable of doing herself sends an inadvertent message that you don’t have confidence in her abilities.
Things may get a little frustrating sometimes but you just need to be patient to help your child build independence.
2. Step Back
Experience is life’s great teacher. Exploring toddlers get stuck in precarious places. The protector instinct in all parents makes us want to rush and rescue the stuck child. As much as possible, parents should avoid rescuing their child from situations that can be handled by kids.
If your child is having trouble carrying a number of toys at once, they become more of a problem solver. The more they think, become frustrated, and try out different ways of doing things, the more they become an ‘expert’ at figuring things out on their own.
3. Identify Opportunities
Parents should prepare a child-friendly home to help their kids practice independence. You can do this by having smaller versions of household items that can be accessible to him.
If she wants a snack, she can get from a low kitchen drawer; if she wants water, she can pour into a glass on a low table; if she needs to clean up a spill, she can get a mop or a rag that is hung low. In this way, your child can explore things around the house without compromising his security.
4. Let Him Decide For Himself
Allowing your child to do simple tasks around the house can be fulfilling for them. Let him bring a bag for himself if he wants to carry one. Again, avoid rescuing your kid over things he can do himself.
Let him make decisions like what he wants to wear. He can do routine tasks as well like washing his hands before and after a meal, and brushing his teeth before going to bed. Letting your child work on his own basic needs at an early age can help him become competent even as a toddler.
5. Allow Your Child To Accompany And Help Out With Chores
Model and children will naturally want to do the same things by themselves. Kids love to copy what their parents do so letting your kids see you doing household chores would be a good deal.
Keep things fun and encouraging as you incorporate independence to your kids. As with so many aspects of the discipline, it’s a question of balance; giving the child enough slack to become an independent toddler, yet keeping the connection. A mother does not let her child go off entirely on their own, but she also doesn’t allow them to hang onto her skirt.
Take your child with you the next time you do things around like cleaning the car or gardening. You can prepare kid-sized tools so your kid can help you out with the chores. Do not stress over perfection but always understand that your job is to allow your kid to learn. It’s not only a learning experience but a great bonding time as well!
