Independence in Children

We have all been there. For those of us who have kids, getting out of the house on time is already a challenge. Shoes are not tied. Clothes are not worn properly. Then we start to help them, we start to scold them.

But, it is during these time-restricted moments that learning has to take place.

Erikson describes autonomy vs shame & doubt as the second stage in his psychosocial theory, it entails children discovering their will, and they should not be restricted or punished, as they will develop shame and doubt about themselves (Santrock, 2019).

As adults, we should allow children to make mistakes. Children are not miniature versions of ourselves. They have unlimited energy and potential. They need adults to be there to encourage them.

For myself, I was quite restrained or pampered when young. That caused me to cry even when going home alone at Primary 3, and that involves only crossing 2 roads. I believe children should be free to be by themselves. Check out this video, one of the children used to be in my current kindergarten.

References

Santrock, J. W. (2019). Life-span Development (17th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.