'I was concerned that by growing up in a more privileged environment, [my kids] wouldn’t learn as many important life lessons.'
if they did an optional weekly contribution in addition to their required daily contributions. They must divide their pay between spending, saving and giving. Every quarter, they get excited to pick a new charity, even if they’re only donating a few dollars.In my own upbringing, there wasn’t a lot of time for my parents to worry about the dangers of my crappily built bike ramp or which neighbourhood kids used the “F” word. And that’s a good thing..
We attempt to foster this development by creating a home where failure is acceptable and independence is encouraged. A few areas where we’re intentional about this:Ask your kids to try doing something first, before automatically doing it for them, whether that’s tying their own shoes or spelling a word. This will be inconvenient and often slow. But it will be worth it, for them and for you.Encourage your kids to play without you.
and realizing that most times they will be A-OK. That said, stick close. This allows you to still have some control over any safety concerns The real aim in allowing our kids this independence and risk-taking is to give them access to life’s best teacher—experience. No manual, rule book, moral code or anecdote we share with our kids can substitute the power of real-life experiences.
In my family we do this not simply to toughen our kids up to the realities of a harsh world. That’s not our job. Instead, we create these slightly “lesser life” moments so that our kids have a fighting chance to grow up grateful,, to best prepare them for whatever life may bring—which someday might mean picking up their prom date in the 20-year-old family minivan.
Josh lives the full life in Atlanta with his wife, Erin, and their five kids. He and Erin blog and podcast about parenting at
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