THE BENEFITS OF OFFERING KIDS A CHOICE

Enabling your child to make decisions about parts of their own day is a brilliant way to instil a sense of self-confidence and independence in them.

Feeling in control is a basic human need and quite often, this is the reason behind many children’s urge to resist parental authority. Being a mother or father often involves telling little ones what to do which can exclude the possibility of them having a voice. Understandably, this may lead to a build up of resentment and create feelings of not having any power, which is where problems and issues can arise! Instead of simply telling your child what to do, it can be useful to instead practise the habit of offering a choice - one where you’re comfortable with both outcomes. This way, your little one feels like they’re making the decision for themselves, but in fact, you are subtly guiding them towards doing something that works for you.

WHAT YOU CAN TRY