Allowing Children to Take Risks = Resilient, Confident Kids

Allow and support your child to take reasonable risks. Keeping your child safe is one of the most important parts of being a parent.

We are compelled, and rightly so, to stop or prevent situations that threaten our child's safety and well-being. But when we do intervene on behalf of children's safety, we can do it with the understanding that life has many challenges and risks, and children deserve experiences and tools to learn to assess the risk and negotiate on their own.
The saying, 'with few risks there are few rewards' is true for children as well. Learning involves risk. Relationships involve risk. Feeling competent and confident in the world requires meeting a challenge and working to overcome it. When children are involved in a situation we think is too risky or dangerous, rather than just stopping them we can offer alternatives that keep them safe while preserving opportunities for them to develop to their fullest potential.

This requires that we pay attention to the children's perspectives, use our power thoughtfully, and act responsibly.

We can ensure that children have a childhood where they feel exhilaration, while still being protected and supported by adults and their friends.
The more we understand our children the more we can help and support them. Think from your child's perspective. One of the ways we can do this is to think about memories of our own childhood and imagine the world from a child's point of view.

Remember what it was like to be a child and the challenges and joys of achievement when overcoming them.
As adults, it is our responsibility to respect and appreciate children.
Children need us to help them develop and grow.
The following are some ways you can support your child to be happy, confident and resilient. • consult children about things that affect their lives.

As adults we must try to balance a child's own wishes and views with what is safe and reasonable.

• help children take on responsibilities.
• understand that children may think and feel differently to the way you do.

• make sure that children feel listened to.

Children need to feel you respect them in order to feel good about themselves.
• appreciate and celebrate their individuality • allow children to be challenged but ensure they are reasonably safe and protected from serious harm We can support them in learning that determination pays off, and they can become competent decision makers, able to assess risks, contribute to the well-being of others, and reap the rewards of their efforts.