Clone Wars: Why Your Child Needs Her Own Identity

Children are little miracles. And for parents of very young ones, it can be a fascinating and sometimes overwhelming experience to witness tiny living, breathing, adorable versions of themselves. But it must be said, our children are individuals in their own right. As they grow and blossom into unique human beings, it is important for parents to ensure we don’t just force them to become mirror images of themselves

- Simona Terron

It can be hugely rewarding to have an impressionable mini-me mimicking our every move, trying so adorably hard to sound just like mommy or look exactly like daddy. This is indeed how children learn from an early age and watching parents, siblings and assorted caretakers, is what gives them their cues about what to do and what not to. Psychologists have identified the concepts of mirroring and modelling as two ways in which very young children learn about the world, each other and most importantly, themselves, just by watching their parents. But while imitation is the best form of flattery, at what point does it become unhealthy for the child?

What they see is what you get

Children model their behaviours, tastes and even their life decisions later on, based on what they observe their parents doing, wearing, and saying. And while this may be desirable within a certain context, do you know how far you want this to go? Do you want your child to be a mirror image of you, with all your flaws and imperfections, or do you want them to bloom as special little people with personalities that are uniquely their own?

When it comes to sartorial choices, parents can tend to use the opportunity of dressing their child as an outlet through which they channel their creative energies. For moms and dads who spend so much time with their offspring, it is only natural that they use their baby as a cute little model whom they style with adorable outfits and even more endearing accessories.

Too much too soon