Want to raise a self-reliant child? Here is how

Self-reliance means the ability to do things for one’s own self and confidence in those capabilities. So, helping kids to become self-reliant should be a crucial focus in parents’ efforts to raise them. This is not an attribute that children can imbibe on their own because they do not have the perspective or experience to do so. So, as a parent, the onus is on you to inculcate this life skill to your little ones. Self-reliance one of the best gifts they can have from you, a blessing that they will cherish for life. Here are five sure-fire ways to raise self-reliant kids.  

Encourage your child to take responsibilities 
Start with simple tasks initially. Help your child make his own bed can be a good starting point. It is important to realize that what may be a cake walk for you may be a complicated task for him. So, you need to be patient with your child. Keep your expectations realistic and make sure you do not discourage him even if he doesn’t succeed at the first few attempts. Instead, try to encourage and motivate. It will go a long way in pushing him to do better the next time. 

Help her to take decision  
Allow your kid to take simple decisions like what she wants to wear in a play date or what she wants to gift her friend on birthday. If you inculcate the habit of decision making in your child during the initial phase of life, it will help her make the right choices in critical situations as she grows up.  

Teach him the value of money  
This is a very important lesson for becoming self-reliant. Once your learns to value money, he will be judicious about spending it right and saving too. One way of inculcating the skill of saving is to give your child a weekly or monthly allowance. Help him manage his whole week or month with the pocket money. If he is tempted to blow up his entire allowance for buying something he likes, take that as an opportunity to teach him ways to save and then invest.  

Acknowledge her efforts 
Appreciating whatever your child does even if she makes mistakes will improve her confidence. Also, she will realise that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as one learns from them. All these go a long way in making your child independent.  

Guide him towards problem-solving 
Don’t step in immediately if your child rushes to you with a problem. Motivate him to solve his own problem. You can offer him certain ideas for the solution but never solve it on his behalf even. This will arm him up to survive in difficult situations independently.