Why Do You Have To Teach Your Child To Trust His Judgment?
As adolescence arrives, many parents are amazed, and even disappointed, by the decisions made by their children. They fail to understand the reasons for some of their behaviors and feel helpless when they observe how their adolescent follows paths that can cause pain. For this not to happen, it is vital to teach children to trust their judgment from a young age.
We must not forget that educating a human being is preparing him for life ; give you the tools you need to weather temporary futures you may encounter and teach you to tell right from wrong. Raising a child is an arduous task that requires perseverance and will. And, many times, contrary to what the body asks of us, it is more about teaching it to look for the answers than giving them ourselves directly.
The need to form your own criteria
When children are young, their parents make all the decisions for them. What time do they go to bed, what do they eat, how do they dress, what toys do they have, or what school do they go to? Even if they listen to the opinion of the infant, they decide what clothes they wear and what extracurricular activities they carry out.
However, with the arrival of puberty, it is healthy and natural that young people begin to claim a gradual independence. The first nights at friends’ house, the first outings and plans without adult supervision arise and, ultimately, the minor begins to cognitively emancipate himself from his parents.
In this crucial stage of identity formation in which the peer group occupies such a prominent place, it is essential that the young person have certain emotional tools. There will be few occasions when you will have to face group pressure, challenges or challenges from your peers; You will have to face the physical insecurities so common in this age and you will find yourself facing important decisions.
For all the above, it is essential that the adolescent has managed to form his own criteria. That he enjoys high self-esteem and self-confidence, that he has deep-rooted and internalized values and knows how to discern what is appropriate. Only in this way will you be able to stand firm against external pressures, without falling into inappropriate behaviors for fear of not being accepted, and retain your essence without the need to imitate or please anyone.
How to teach your child to trust his judgment?
In order for the child to have established criteria when reaching puberty and to know how to trust him, it is necessary to teach him to do so from an early age. We must try to transmit some essential values to him and to promote his self-confidence. To do this, we can follow the following guidelines:
- Punishments can make a child obey, but they do not teach why a behavior is negative. Therefore, it is preferable to avoid them and replace them with dialogue and natural consequences. If, for example, he does not share his toys with other children, instead of taking them away, let’s tell him that this way others will not want to play with him.
- Let him decide and experiment. It is true that, as parents, the well-being of our child is our responsibility. But it is necessary to give them from childhood a plot of decision according to their age, so that they can experience the consequences of their own actions and decisions. Don’t give it all done; remember that one day he will have to do it himself and we need him to learn progressively.
- Take advantage of opportunities for rich dialogues about important issues. Choose movies, readings or stories that deal with values and discuss them with your children. Listen to their opinions, solve their doubts and talk about it.
Life insurance
In our quest to avoid suffering for our children, it is tempting to give them the answers and lead the way. However, overprotection will deprive them of trust in the only being that will always be with them: themselves. If they are to make a mistake, it is preferable that they learn to do it in a safe environment and gradually, having your support and guidance to get up from the stumbling blocks.
Adolescence is a troubled time full of challenges; however, any parent can rest easy knowing that their child can trust their judgment. You will not always be able to be by their side, but if you have this foundation, you will have life insurance.
