Know when to provide support and when to provide autonomy . Imagine a child learning to climb the jungle gyms . There are many ways a parent can provide support for a child . Your instinct might be to help , but sometimes the best move is to let him be and encourage self-reliance . While other times , he may need you to hold her hand . Remember also that when a child asks for help , he ’ s often really asking to make a connection . How do you strike the right balance ? Sometimes it ’ s as simple as letting your child take the lead and following his cues . Let him tell you what he needs . Parents don ’ t always know best .
Use mistakes to help your child and your relationship . Every parent gets tired , stressed out and preoccupied , which means we don ’ t always respond appropriately . However , making a mistake can be a chance to improve the bond with your child , as long as you ’ re willing to fix it . In fact , fixing a mistake can be more beneficial than avoiding mistakes altogether . You could argue that a perfect parent would not prepare a child for future relationships when they meet someone who can ’ t meet their every need . So how do you address mistakes ?
First , acknowledge the need you neglected and apologize . If you raised your voice and sent your child to his room without fully listening to his story , go to his room , acknowledge the oversight , address the wrong , then end on a positive note like reading a story together . This will teach him that good things can follow the bad , and that even healthy relationships aren ’ t perfect . •
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