When we see our baby who is learning to crawl reach out for an object, some of us may feel the urge to hand it to the baby. When our baby who is learning to make a tower struggles, many of us may feel the urge to show the baby the correct way to do it. When our toddler tries to wear shoes, many of us may feel the urge to help them out. Many of us feel the urge to help, to correct, to teach our child. At Aajol, a preschool and daycare in Pune, we encourage our caregivers and toddler’s parents not to coddle a child with extra pampering by handing over objects that they are seeking.
When we choose not to act on this urge immediately and wait and give our child the space to try, to experiment, to make mistakes, to learn from their mistakes, we allow them to learn so much more. We allow their motor skills to develop faster, we allow their cognitive skills to develop faster and we also allow space for their self-confidence to build. Unlike us, their goal may not always be to achieve the outcome in the fastest possible way. Through every step of the struggle, they also get opportunities to learn important life skills such as patience, tolerance for frustration, acceptance of failure and moving on, resilience, perseverance, will power, independence and so on.
Let’s give our children the space to learn these important life skills. As children spend a considerable amount of time in preschool and daycare, we make sure that enough space is given to toddlers for them to experiment. Providing a safe space for toddlers to grow is what makes Aajol one of the best preschool in Pune.
Activity:
- Observe yourself carefully when you see your child struggling with a task.
- If you find the urge within to help the child out, take a deep breath and relax.
- Allow the child to try for some time.
- You can jump in and help them if the distress of the child becomes overwhelming for the child.
- Make note of how this patience on your part supports the child’s development.