How much freedom we should give children

One of the great goals of parents in the education of their children is that they develop their autonomy. They are taught to be responsible and encouraged to be independent. As children grow and acquire skills, children will seek freedoms that they previously did not demand. This will become a chall

One of the great goals of parents in the education of their children is that they develop their autonomy. They are taught to be responsible and encouraged to be independent.

As children grow and acquire skills, children will seek freedoms that they previously did not demand. This will become a challenge for both families and educators. The conflicts between parents and children appear from the preadolescence, but above all will occur in adolescence being this the most complicated stage. It is a very common question among parents: how much freedom to give children?

What and how much freedom to give children

The educational style used by parents is key to establishing limits within which children can move safely. Being authoritarian or permissive will be relevant to the relationship between parents and children due to the degree of vigilance that parents establish with their children to set the "margins" of their freedoms.

It is important that the autonomy, negotiation and responsibilities of the child are promoted from the earliest stages, establishing clear norms and limits to minimize the conflicts that occur in adolescence due to the search for freedoms. The limits must be set with clear and specific instructions. In addition, it is necessary to give reasonable choices to the little ones, since when there are several elections they are more willing to accept advice.

Tips for giving permits and freedoms to children

When giving freedom to children, parents must bear in mind that to grant permits must be done progressively. That is to say, to give them to them as the children are demonstrating that they are capable of fulfilling the demands. When the children fail to comply with the agreements established and negotiated to be given permission, these can be suspended by the parents. This way, children will learn to properly manage the freedoms granted.

In addition, parents should be forming the criteria of their children to distinguish between different situations and prevent them from risks. The greatest responsibility as parents is the health and protection of children. The child needs to know that parents prohibit certain activities and options because they threaten this safety. For example, if the parents deny any request to their 7-year-old son that they do not consider appropriate for the stage of life in which they find themselves, this refusal to be clear and not by imposition. The child will be angry because they do not authorize him but when he is older he will appreciate it.

As the child's level of maturity increases, from the first stages, parents can give it greater independence. Parents can talk with their children about the consequences of their decisions. Help them understand that there are good and bad decisions and that knowing the difference between one and the other can mark for the future.

Parents must find a balance between the imposition of rules and the excessive permissiveness of their actions. It is best to guide children without controlling them sin, without overprotecting them, letting them make their own mistakes by solving their own problems and making their own decisions. Thanks to this they develop the necessary skills to find the autonomy that will give them freedoms.