One of the goals of parenting is to raise children who are self-reliant, resilient and can solve their own problems. You want your children to be able to concentrate with self-disciplined and a sense of order. It takes some determination on the part of the parent and a willingness to allow the child to make mistakes and sometimes even fail. However, if you make sure to parent using these three essential elements, you’ll be well on your way to helping to raise your child to be a self-starter.
- Teach the child to brainstorm. When your child has a problem, don’t rush to find a solution for him. Instead, teach your child to identify the problem, asking, “What’s bothering you?” Express confidence in your child’s ability to solve the problem on his own without your help, but work with him on brainstorming to come up with solutions. Do more listening than talking: just get the ball rolling and then let your child take the lead.
- Don’t rush to the rescue. It can be tempting to jump in and save your child from stressful situations because it’s hard to see our children struggle. If you want your child to be resourceful, though, you’ll need to let him try and fail in order to learn how to succeed. The most important thing for you to do is set your child up for success by providing the tools needed to solve problems.
- Teach decision-making. There’s no way around it, sometimes your child will be faced with a difficult choice. When you refuse to make the choice, you’re giving your child a chance to try out the skills you’ve taught and learn how to make those hard choices without you. This builds confidence and leads to self-reliance.
At MSOD Shipra, we are committed to equipping children to be self-reliant. We know that children develop confidence and high self-esteem through self-regulation, so we provide an environment of “freedom within limits” in which children can learn to solve problems and make good decisions. As a result, our students grow into problem-solvers who have the skills they need to succeed in all facets of life.
Pulling from the Montessori Method as well as other tactics for helping children to learn and grow, we strive to nurture children’s intellectual and creative curiosity in an atmosphere of respect and support. The end result is that students in our program develop self-confidence and are able to succeed in all areas of life. If you’re interested in learning more about our methods, and you want us to partner with you in raising a resourceful and self-reliant child, call MSOD to arrange a visit.