Our children rely on us for everything. Meeting our children’s needs is our responsibility. This seems like an accurate statement. But upon close inspection, it is only partially correct. Let’s see why…
The younger children are, the more they rely on us.
The older they are, however, the less they should need from us.
That is the nature of growing up.
The developmental purpose of childhood is to take the time needed to become an adult. And not just any adult, but an adult who is independent and self-reliant. And the task of parenting is to help our children with that.
One of the ways we help is by teaching children to take care of their own needs.
If you look at childhood from that perspective, our job as parents is not actually to take care of our children. That is only part of it, a temporary one at that. The more important and often overlooked part of our job is to teach them how to do it for themselves. And while they are learning, we do of course help them meet those needs.
Tune into today’s episode of The Parenting Presence to hear more.
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Podcast Host: Julia Pappas, Psychologist & Parent Coach
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