Your child’s development is greatly impacted by the environments of their upbringing, as habits and the way in which certain situations are dealt with are developed via environmental observation. The purpose of this blog is to guide you on how to help this process along and see your child learns independence to their fullest capacity.
For this month’s blog topic at Little Steps Day Care Ltd we look at teaching independence at home. For more, call us in Huntingdon on 01234 889518.
Household Chores
Giving your child chores that are age appropriate is the best way to give a sense of independence and fulfilling contribution to the family unit. Basic ones that are a good starting point include:
- Sweeping Floors
- Making Bed
- Cleaning Room
- Feeding Pets
- Help Clear up Dishes
Maintaining a routine with any of the above will teach your child early that such responsibilities are normal aspects of life, helping them come to grips with this will help them later in life.
Food and Shopping Planning
Giving your child input on meal prep will not only give them a sense of contribution, but also give them early lessons on cooking skills used later in life. As well as this it will help to encourage healthy eating habits which stands to reason as an important example.
Free Play
Unstructured play time by nature encourages your child’s creativity, although your child still may crave your involvement, the main point is letting your child take lead here. There are many toys which help to encourage this, including but not limited to:
- Lego
- Crayons
- MagnaTiles
- Chalk
Such toys allow small play-based projects rather than other options that will keep creativity on rails and limit possibilities. Crafts using recyclables is another common place choice, allowing otherwise overlooked items to be used in arts and craft, where possibilities become limitless.
Problem Solving
Letting your child approach problems that are hard, but not out of the realm of possibility, is a sure-fire way to help them learn to deal with frustration and encourage constructive persistence. This is a golden example of how we learn through making mistakes, such as letting a child put their shoes on the wrong foot in order to allow them to see first hand rather then just telling them.
Acknowledging that something is hard and showing your child praise for tackling such a challenge is important, remembering to praise the persistence throughout rather then just the outcome. This teaches the value of working toward something rather then just seeing the positive outcome as the main focus.
Contact Little Steps Day Care Ltd
For more information on teaching independence at home, contact Little Steps Day Care Ltd. Call us in Renhold on 01234 889518. Alternatively, you can make an enquiry through our contact form.
Find us here.
