Raising Independent Children

When we think of the month of July, the words independence and freedom usually come to mind. It started me thinking about the importance of helping our children become independent.

A goal of every parent is to help their children learn the skills to become confident, independent adults. You can start as early as your child is ready.

Begin by giving your child tasks to complete (like putting toys away) and choices to make (like selecting what clothes to wear). Provide clear expectations with the understanding that for very young children in particular, it begins as "trial and error".

The goal is helping your child accomplish tasks successfully with your assistance and then transferring the task for them to accomplish independently. Gradually introduce new tasks as their self-esteem increases. As your child moves into upper elementary, middle and high school, he/she will develop into a young adult who is open to try new things and self-confident to tackle even the most difficult tasks. All of this is accomplished with the knowledge that parents are always there to guide and assist, if needed.

Being successful as a young child gives a person a sense of pride that follows into adulthood. Not being afraid to attempt something new is an excellent trait that begins to develop at a very young age.

The "Don't Be That KID! At School Resource Guide" has activities to help children become more responsible; learn to solve problem; learn to make good choices; and to complete tasks. Each activity is separated into grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5.