Should you give your children choices?
Ultimate Youth Sports thinks so! We love the idea of children making their own decisions! We understand that some children may shut down when given no option at all. Therefore we give choices. We find that this works best in tough situations. Example: A child acts out and starts a tantrum. We tell them things like, “okay.. you can keep acting out and come with me to the office OR you can behave and go join class activities. Choose what you want to do.” A child naturally wants to stay out of trouble and go back to having fun so they pick to behave.
Why this works
Children have a need for structure. They want good attention and to do what is right. Sometimes they just need a little guidance. For instance.. to give a child a candy bar and tell them to save it may be difficult for them. The child is now being faced with eating the candy and getting into trouble. The situation could have been easier for the child if given choices such as.. the parent could hold the candy OR the child could not get the candy at the store. This way the child is happy knowing at least they will get the candy, period.
Help Your Child For The Future
Ahaparenting.com tells us that as children age.. their decisions get tougher to make. If you teach them to make choices while still young, you can help sculpt them into pro decision-makers. Who wouldn’t want their child to be well prepared?
Parents, you’ve got this!
Start small. Let your child decide on something easy like what to eat for dinner. Narrow it down for them. Too many options can lead to confusion and prolonged answers. Keep it simple! Before you know it your child will be on the right path of choice making! 🙂 We love it and know that you will too!
Have a blessed day!