Common blunders parents make with their children

As parents, we want to do anything and everything to keep our children safe and happy, right? However, sometimes we can be a little too overly protective. Not giving your children the freedom they need to make mistakes can result in your child not learning the necessary life skills they need to take with them into adulthood.

Here’s are five common blunders parents make – and why you should avoid them.

Refusing to allow your child to take any risks While we don’t want our children to get hurt, the truth is that by removing all risks from their lives, children don’t learn that risks can bring rewards or failures. Taking risks in a safe setting boosts confidence and develops vital life skills. Children develop self-regulation by asking questions like, “How high is too high on this tree?” or “how fast can I ride my bike before it crashes?” Allowing your child to take risks also allows you to identify areas where your child may require further advice or support.

Not encouraging your child to try new things

Human beings require encouragement from the moment they are born in order to feel loved and cherished, as well as to help them grow their self-esteem. Positive relationships will assist a youngster in becoming a capable and self-sufficient individual, traits that they will require throughout their life.

Making your parental affection contingent on your child’s success

Do you know that whole “tiger parenting” thing that everyone was talking about back in the ’90s? Tiger parenting is a severe, authoritative parenting style designed to develop high-achieving children. This frequently entails foregoing sleepovers, parties, and other recreational activities in order to concentrate on their education. Sadly, tiger parenting is still a common method used by many parents today. Most children whose parents pull this ruse suffer from debilitating anxiety, and some even acquire personality disorders later in life as a result.

Assuring your child that they will never fail

Failure is a natural part of life. Every great individual in history has failed before making it to the big leagues. If you tell your child that they can’t fail, you’re actually discouraging them from taking chances necessary for growth. Furthermore, being able to deal with failure is a crucial life skill. Are you sure you want to deprive your child of the ability to get back up if they fall?

Not letting your child “earn their own way”

We understand parents’ desire to see their children achieve at whatever cost. However, you must understand that parents who do not let their children earn their own way set their children up for a nasty surprise when they enter adulthood. To a considerable extent, real life is a meritocracy. Your child will miss out on important life skills if they do not learn to compete and leverage their connections on their own.