Today I want to discuss the topic of how to encourage children to become independent and learn to take care of themselves. Having children is the dream of every family, and parents want their children to grow up happy and healthy. It is a parent’s job to raise their children to become good people who aren’t codependent and can function productively in the world when they grow up.

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Spoiling Children May Hurt Their Ability To Be Independent

It is common to see parents do everything for their children. They obey the wishes and demands of their children to make them happy. This is a faulty practice and can have negative impacts. It isn’t always good to spoil children. It can hinder a child’s abilities to be independent if a parent does everything for their child.

For example: Children who live luxurious lives whose parents buy them everything they need may grow up to be spoiled. They might not grow independent of their parents because they don’t know how to work hard for their money. They might not be accustomed to facing difficulties in life and depend on their parents to solve their problems.

The education children receive from their parents impacts them for the rest of their lives. Parent need to choose a positive way to educate their child to aid them in developing independence as they grow older. In my home in Aceh in Indonesia, parents often send their children to school in a cottage (means boarding school). In boarding school, children begin a new life with their schoolmates, separate from their parents. There are numerous ways parents can educate their children and a wide variety of techniques.

Ways You Can Educate Children To Become Independent:

Give Children Age Appropriate Chores

Chores can be given to children to teach them responsibility and hard work. Young children can be given easy tasks while older children given more challenging work. A young child could help their parents fold laundry, clean their room, make their bed, and clean up their toys. As children get older, chores can be more complex. Washing dishes, taking care of animals, vacuuming, mopping, etc. are all tasks good for older children. Being responsible to do regular chores helps children learn to take care of a household and themselves.

Do Not Let Your Children Boss You Around

Parents shouldn’t act like servants to their children. If a parent does everything for their child, they will never learn to take care of themselves. If a child doesn’t have to work or face difficulties in life then they will grow up to be spoiled and entitled. A parent who lets their child boss them around allows their child to dictate the rules of a household, which is not proper. Parents should be the boss and children need to learn responsibilities.

Teach Children How To Groom and Be Clean

Children should be taught proper bathroom etiquette and grooming habits. A child should be taught simple tasks like flushing the toilet, putting the cap back on the toothpaste, and to put wet towels in the laundry basket. Parents need to teach their child to take showers or baths regularly and how to properly clean themselves with soap and water.

Give Praise When Successful or Behaving Properly

Parents should praise their children instead of being angry at negative behaviors. You shouldn’t show anger when children are messy. Instead, be kind and explain the importance of being responsible for his/her toys. Parents should help teach the child how to tidy up and then give praise to them each time they clean their rooms. Praise helps a child to grow and develop into confident and independent adults.

These are only a few ideas on how to help children become more independent. There are numerous ways to help your kids to learn to take care of themselves and become responsible as they grow.

References :
https://dosenpsikologi.com/cara-mendidik-anak-agar-mandiri
http://www.solusisehatku.com/5-cara-mendidik-anak-agar-menjadi-pribadi-yang-mandiri

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