With independence comes responsibility. As your tiny tot grows, you struggle to leave one tiny finger and let it become more independent. The world out there is full of challenges from an adult’s perspective. Whereas for a child, who is still naive, the world is a playground.
How do you then be brave and allow your kids to start learning the skills of decision-making, and become more responsible so that they can stand on their own feet?
Give your child the experience of Yoga, Meditation and Breath
Let them make and own their mistakes
Let your children know that in a world that demands perfection, it is completely natural to make mistakes, and is in fact the best way to learn. You should encourage them to try new activities. For example, if they are good at drawing and are at home all the time, then encourage them to take up sports. If they come back expressing their challenges, hear them out and offer solutions, so that they do not give up easily. This will motivate your kids to move out of their comfort zones, reduce dependency on your coddling, and inculcate a sense of adventure and courage in them. They will learn to accept their shortcomings and develop healthy self-esteem, early on in their lives.
Be a guide, not a replacement
Sometimes, when things are too tough for the kids, parents tend to do it for their children, rather than letting the kids try harder. In case they come home bogged down by something that they think they can’t accomplish, consider guiding them through it, rather than doing it yourself. Gurudev often reminds us to focus on short-term actions that give long-term benefits and not the other way around. To make your kids more confident, handhold them and empower them to walk through difficult tasks and situations in life.
Extra-Curricular Activities
While academics have their importance, kids require all-around development to be more independent in life. Sports, art, music, dance, games, and physical education can foster that edge in your kids. It will enable them to see that they are much more than their scores and that they can do well in other areas as well. Enjoying varied activities will open up new dimensions of their personalities, and make them more confident, helping them to grow independent.
Friendships
In times of the global pandemic, kids have lost touch with the human world. However, they need to meet and greet their peers. When kids play together, fight, and makeup, they learn important soft skills. They learn to forge human connections and other important virtues like caring, sharing, negotiation, and discipline, which are foundations for a healthy independent adult. Even if it is for a short time, and with complete safety precautions, it is highly recommended to ensure some playtime for your kids, with their friends.
Decision-Making
As Nature has meant it to be, a child is completely dependent on its parents to make all its decisions, right from eating, studying to playing and sleeping. But as your kids grow up, they should learn to and slowly be allowed to make their own decisions. Decision-making is one of the crucial skills for being independent. It not only makes your kids rely on their intellect to make decisions but also takes responsibility for the consequences of their choices. Let your kids start small. For example, they should decide upon which subject to study, how to plan their day, which pens to buy, and so on. Encourage their choices and preferences to let them feel more grown-up.
Yoga and spirituality
Last, but not least important is to educate your kids on the benefits of yoga and spirituality. It is Gurudev’s vision to create a stress-free and violence-free society. It is worthwhile to imagine that if each child on this globe is trained to manage its inner world right from a tender age, how much better our world will be. Not only will the kids develop a sharper intellect, a calm mind, and a healthy body, but will also be inclined towards understanding their role in society. And since charity begins at home, they will learn early on to do their parts at home, school, and thereon in society. Apart from this, spiritual practices and values can prevent kids from falling into bad habits and company, under peer pressure. It makes them resolute and independent from within.
Sensitive and at the same time strong children can grow up to become independent and powerful individuals who can change the world and make you proud.
You can enroll your kids for one of our programs or get in touch with our team to know more about the same: Programs for Children and Teens
Related links
"How can Parents boost Child's Creativity?" - a video by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
10 things you should avoid saying to your kids - article provides happy solutions to the things parents should avoid saying to their kids.
