2. Acknowledge their feelings
This helps kids identify emotions and understand how they work.
Try saying: “You look concerned – is something worrying you?” or “It sounds like you’re really upset – can you explain why?”
On the other hand, be mindful to avoid instructing children not to feel the way they do.
You might think saying “Don’t be scared” is reassuring, but it’s actually encouraging them to believe that some emotions are bad or wrong.
In reality, all feelings are valid and, in order to understand how to manage them, children need to be given the chance to experience and acknowledge them first.
3. Encourage them to make their own decisions
It’s a skill that helps children become more independent and responsible, so allow them to practise by creating opportunities for them to make choices between a few different things.
To make this exercise work, set it up so that you’re comfortable with all the different options your child has to choose between.
For this to be effective, the choice needs to genuinely be theirs, so you need to ensure you’ll be happy no matter what they choose.
And once they’ve made their choice, take time to ask a few questions that will prompt them to think through their reasoning.
This will help them learn how to evaluate options and think through consequences. Suggestions include: “What is it that you like about this one?”, “What makes it the best option?” or “How will this work?”