Becoming a parent is undoubtedly the most exciting and life-changing
event that a human can experience.Of course,welcoming your bundle of
joy into the world is only the beginning.The parenting path is riddled
with pitfalls and you’re sure to be tested to the extreme by the many
trials and tribulations of trying to bring up your baby as best you can.
Of course, parenthood is often a process of trial and error and
different approaches work for different families. Some parents are
relaxed, while others are quite rigid with routines, rewards and
discipline. Usually though, all parents have one common desire and
that’s the desire for their children to have the best in life. After
all, it’s only natural for a parent to want their offspring to have
every possible advantage. They want their children to feel loved,
cherished and safe. As a result they will endeavour to protect them from
the many dangers, both real and perceived, that await them in an
uncertain, wide world.
This natural desire can, however, become
all-consuming and lead to overprotective parenting. The term
‘helicopter’ parent conveys this notion to a tee, when you see a mother
or father hovering incessantly over their child, sprinting to the scene
to right a playground wrong or haranguing a teacher over the tiniest
detail of their child’s development.
Parents sometimes seem
unable to trust in their children’s desire to be competent. They feel
the need to intervene incessantly and don’t allow for nature to take its
course. It’s important as children mature to take a step back and allow
them to develop their own coping skills. A parent doesn’t need to be
glued to their child’s side for them to feel secure. Allowing your child
to have some responsibility at an appropriate age will promote a sense
of self-confidence. There’s no harm in your teenager running an errand
for you, popping to the corner shop to pick up a Collect plus parcel, for example.
Children
need to develop a sense of their own competence. They need to learn
that they’re able to pick themselves up after a fall and to gain the
confidence that comes from grappling with a little adversity. Life will
inevitably throw up numerous challenges and children need to experience a
little disappointment to realise that they have the skills and
self-efficacy to be able to deal with them. By encouraging your child to
become self-sufficient, you strengthen the parental bond and allow them
to spread their wings.
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