FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
From TODAY, Voices
Wednesday, 28-January-2009
By Dr Bill Maier
Sometimes, the best thing we can do for our children is to let them make their decisions on their own.
When our children are very young, we parent by controlling what they do. We tell them what to eat, where to go, and what they can and cannot get into.
It’s our job to keep them safe and teach them right from wrong. But as children get older, they start to assert more control over their lives – and that’s a good thing.
But many parents are so used to making decisions for their children that they try to hang on to that control – sometimes for much longer than they should.
As children become teenagers, it’s important to let them think for themselves. They still need parenting, but on a different level.
Instead of controlling what they do, our job is to guide and mentor them towards good decisions. If we’ve raised them right, this transition should come about naturally.
From TODAY, Voices
Wednesday, 28-January-2009
By Dr Bill Maier
Sometimes, the best thing we can do for our children is to let them make their decisions on their own.
When our children are very young, we parent by controlling what they do. We tell them what to eat, where to go, and what they can and cannot get into.
It’s our job to keep them safe and teach them right from wrong. But as children get older, they start to assert more control over their lives – and that’s a good thing.
But many parents are so used to making decisions for their children that they try to hang on to that control – sometimes for much longer than they should.
As children become teenagers, it’s important to let them think for themselves. They still need parenting, but on a different level.
Instead of controlling what they do, our job is to guide and mentor them towards good decisions. If we’ve raised them right, this transition should come about naturally.
No comments:
Post a Comment