Empowering Your Kid to Thrive in the Post-Lockdown World
The previous year's lockdowns, online learning, and seclusion have transformed the way children engage in activities outside their homes independently, placing a significant barrier on their freedom and skills. Schools remain closed, sports events and birthdays parties cancelled. Parents, exhausted and anxious, grapple with assisting their children in performing independent tasks like tying their shoes, preparing lunch, or doing laundry. Despite their best intentions, finding the time and energy to invest in these essential lessons often takes a back seat.
As the new school year approaches, families may find new opportunities and emotional resources to prepare their children for greater independence.
According to Karen VanAusdal, who leads academic, social, and emotional learning at her Chicago-based collaborative, developing the ability to make decisions and confront challenges are critical aspects of maturation. Although it appears far removed, teaching children to wash dishes or maintain order at a buffet impacts their development in both direct and indirect ways.
"Children learn to trust their instincts, process events, and work through challenges," VanAusdal explains. "By taking care of themselves—and by helping take care of others—children experience the joys of independence and the benefits that come with it."
Encouraging Independence in Your Child
- Development of New Connections
Create opportunities for your child to participate in activities that encourage independence and have a larger impact on the family as a whole. Can your child shop for groceries on their own? If so, prepare them with essential communication and social skills.
- Gradual Approach
Respect your child's emotional state and personal abilities. Begin with tasks that allow them to succeed, rather than overwhelm them with challenges that may further erode their confidence.
- Privileges and Responsibilities
Link privileges with duties to encourage children to engage in activities that ultimately benefit themselves and their loved ones. For example, if they enjoy selecting meals for the family, allow them to choose ingredients and participate in meal preparation.
- Foster a Growth Mindset
Let children explore new skills freely, knowing they may make mistakes along the way. Encourage them to take on more responsibilities where they feel comfortable, and prepare them for the inevitable mistakes.
- Organize Yourself and Your Child
Plan responsibilities for your child that promote independence and accountability. Set up a family meeting to discuss roles and responsibilities and ensure tasks are simplified based on each child's abilities.
As children gain these essential life skills—from time management to conflict resolution—they grow more confident, regain their sense of self-reliance, and become valuable members of their communities.
Enrichment Data:
- Research indicates that providing children with daily structure and predictability can help foster feelings of confidence, competence, and well-being.
- Emotional competence, or acknowledging, managing, and using emotions to make informed decisions, directly impacts children's academic, social, and emotional development.
- The ability to persist, problem-solve, and self-regulate are critical skills children can acquire when encouraged to engage in structured activities.
- Strong parental involvement and supportive interactions contribute to positive academic, social, and emotional outcomes in children.
- When parents participate in their children's education and provide ongoing support, they help enhance their children's academic success, social skills, and self-reliance.
