Compelling Reasons to Allow Your Child to Make Mistakes Gracefully #2
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In this series, we are highlighting the opportunities available in making mistakes. Please visit Compelling Reason #1 to learn more.
Compelling Reason #2
Self-Preservation.
You could miss the opportunity to see how amazingly resilient and self protective your children really are. Think about it.
We sometimes protect our children to the point of not allowing them to experience for themselves how complicated or dangerous something is, within reasonable limits.
Set your own internal delay switch. Start with a couple of seconds before you rush to rescue your baby who is crawling towards the stairs (note we did not say down head first). Place yourself nearby so you can be of assistance if necessary and watch what happens.
You may be surprised to find that your child has no desire to hurl themselves down a flight of stairs and has the same capacity to navigate steps as they have to begin walking or talking. A little at a time.
Be easy on yourself with this one. If you are filled with fear when you try it, trust your gut and work on your own resistance first. Your child will feel your expectations either positive or negative.
What ways does your child already show qualities of self-preservation and what does this tell you about your child?