Tips for Building Self-reliance

Teaching kids to be self reliant can help them in the long run. Kids learn to be responsible and independent if parent encourage them to be self reliant right from early childhood. They have the ability to take their own decisions by being self reliant. Here is how parents can inculcate self reliance in kids. Self reliance is one of the important virtues which parents can help kids to imbibe. By being self reliant kids can handle any situation easily. Read on to learn about the dos and don’ts of building self reliance in kids. In this articleThe dosThe dontsThe dos: Parents can encourage their children to be self-reliant in baby steps. Children can start by taking care of their daily routine like brushing their teeth, feeding themselves, tying their own laces, etc. as soon as they get the hang of it. Children should spend more time in free play when they can explore their own ideas and think for themselves. When they are a little older, they can help with the chores like laying the table, watering the plants, etc. If all goes well, they should be left to manage their own time when it comes to their academics and social life. Parents should only interfere if they feel their children are wandering off track. Children should be given responsibilities and held accountable if they do not fulfil their duties. This will give children a sense of importance and they will feel that their parents trust them to do the job. Physical fitness and strength is an essential part of being competent and self-reliant. Children must be encouraged to do sport and other outdoor activity. Allow children to set their own goals, unless you feel they are taking the easy way out and you know they are capable of much more. Leave them alone for short periods of time so that they learn to entertain themselves. Last, but not least, remember that youre not going to be around forever to hold your childrens hands and protect them from all the pitfalls they might encounter in life. It is in their best interest to be self-reliant. The donts: If children want to try out something new, parents shouldnt hover around looking like theyre waiting for disaster to strike or constantly giving them instructions about the right way to go about things. Leave the children to their own devices, otherwise theyll grow up being scared of their own shadows. Parents shouldnt rush to their childrens aid every time they come to them with a problem. Encourage them to think it out for themselves and if theyre well and truly stuck, guide them to the answer. Avoid spoonfeeding your children. Theyll never learn to think of themselves. Dont set impossibly high standards for your children or load them with responsibilities they will find difficult to cope with. This could backfire and your children may feel that they are not capable of achieving anything. Dont make your approval conditional on success. Praise them for their effort. Dont label them stupid if they havent been able to handle responsibility or cope with a task assigned to them. Back to Part 1 - Teach Your Child to be Self-Reliant