We’re on a roll! Tip #3

We’re on a roll!  Tip #3

 

3. Don't redo what they've done. If your child makes her bed, resist the urge to smooth
the blankets. If she dresses herself in stripes and polka dots, compliment her
"eclectic" style. Unless absolutely necessary, don't fix what your child accomplishes,
says Kathy Buss, director of the Weekday Nursery School, in Morrisville, Pennsylvania.
She will notice and it may discourage her.

When children begin to show their independence, they do what they think is the perfect job!  
Continue to encourage this independence with praise and other easy “jobs” so they
can gain confidence.  Think about it - if you are trying to impress your boss and all you
get is being told to redo it, wouldn’t that make you feel like a failure?  
Or you might just want to give up! We don’t want our kids to give up; let them push forward.
The ultimate goal of any parent is to raise a child who will become self sufficient and
independent as an adult.  

Promoting Independence

Promoting Independence

While 3- and 4-year-olds still need plenty of parental help, preschool experts agree that kids are typically able to do more than many of us think. Here's how you can encourage them:

1. Expect more. Most people have a way of living up (or down) to expectations -- preschoolers included. "At school we expect the kids to pour their own water at snack, to throw away their plates, to hang up their jackets -- and they do," says Jennifer Zebooker, a teacher at the 92nd Street Y Nursery School, in New York City. "But then they'll walk out of the classroom and the thumb goes in the mouth and they climb into strollers." Raise the bar and your child will probably stretch to meet it.

In my own experience in the classroom, the more I expected of my first grade students, the more they surprised me by asking deeper questions in science or explaining in depth how they arrived at the answer to a math problem.  Using terms like, “You can do this” or “Let’s begin together and then I want you to finish” or “Go ahead and try first and then ask for help if you need it.” are great ways to encourage a child to become independence.