Manage Your Time – Time Flies By – Three Main Ways To Clip Those Wings (Part 2)
1.Ages 1 – 4 years old. It’s best to start when the children are young. It’s a good idea to begin by letting your child learn success and failure with small tasks when they are very young. Whether they are inserting plastic donut shapes on a ring, or picking up cereal with their young infant hands, they are learning and growing. Show them how, and step back and let them practice. You’ll hear cries of frustration but leave them alone, and step in only when you feel it’s appropriate with lots of encouragement and smiles.
2.Ages 5 – 12 years old. There are a lot of physical and mental changes at this stage. A desire for independence, and a let me do it myself is in play. The hard part for you is to know how to slip in and help without them really knowing it. Buy toys and games that are age appropriate and just right for small hands. Have the courage to step back and let them try. New parents often feel the need to take over when their young one is desperately trying to put that toy together. Give them several attempts and then calmly ask if they need help. A little reverse psychology goes a long way too, such as walking away and waiting for them to approach you when it just doesn’t work. Remember to give them more responsibility that’s appropriate too. Physical rewards are good, such as an allowance, but don’t overdo the payment. It makes them realize that most things in life have a real price, and must be earned. Continue to encourage them even when they fail.
