Inspiring Independence
A big part of parenting is accepting there will be bittersweet moments that also fill your heart with pride as you watch your child succeed at something ... without your help.
You pick out their clothing
You pack their lunch
You help them ride their bike
You walk them to their friend's next door
You stand at the bus stop with them
You read to them
... until the day they want to "do it myself!"
As they get older we can still support them as they learn to speak up respectfully and talk to their coach about playing time or their teacher about a grade without us needing to step in and fix it for them.
We can love them and still let them deal with the consequences of forgetting their schoolwork. It's actually because we love them that we let them learn to deal with consequences at a young age rather than first learning those hard lessons in college or on their first job.
Learning to be more careful and to not spill milk happens when they have to clean up messes they make, not when they get yelled at.
First we do it for them.
Then we have them do it with us.
Finally they are able to successfully to it for themselves.
