Helping your Child Become more Independent

Helping Your Child Become More Independent

Independence is a key skill children should begin to use as they grow older and enter
secondary school, but it can be taught throughout their childhood life. I’ve teamed up with a
nursery in Harpenden to show you ways to raise an independent child.

AD -This post is a guest post and may contain links for which I will have been compensated. These thoughts and opinions are in line with my own personal beliefs.

Ensure they follow a routine

It’s not just about keeping a child’s mornings regimented, it’s so that eventually they’ll have
the skill to pick up on these daily parts of their routine by themselves. It’s so that you don’t
have to continually pick up the slack for them and they learn that they don’t need your help
all the time. They may need help if they’re really unwell for instance, but aim to maintain a
regular morning and evening routine so that you can eventually leave them to their own
devices before and after school.

Give them more responsibility in the home

Your child will be able to take on more tasks when they grow older, so give them a few tasks
here and there to help them along the way. Starting this process when they’re younger gives
them the tools to be able to handle situations if there is a potential emergency that you’re not
prepared for.
Ways you can train your child in their independence skills are:

• Allowing them to look after siblings for up to an hour
• Giving them a small number of chores each week
• Asking them to buy things from the local corner shop from a list
• Asking your child to walk the dog

Let them do things by themselves

It’s easier said than done, but in their teenage years your child might be keen to go and see
friends after school or on the weekends without you being around. In these situations, give
your child a phone or some way to contact you so that they can let you know when they’re
returning home or if there’s an issue.

It can be tricky navigating parenting as to when/how you should step away, observe and encourage / give more independence. I hope that these tips have provided some food for thought for helping your child become more independent.