Think of a scenario where every child has never done something wrong. Think of a situation where the kid from the time he is born knows what is the right thing to do and does it without any hesitation or any prior experience. Odd, right? Most of us as adults understand that making mistakes is a part of life and we think that it is only through experience that we will know what is the right thing to do. But then why do we always expect our children, who are way younger to us in age and way more inexperienced than us, to take the right decision and do the right thing always? Why do we pressurize our kids to be the best amongst the lot without actually knowing the pros and cons of any particular situation?
Making errors enriches a child’s learning
When a child starts making his own decisions, give him time to figure out what suits them best. Do not jump on to conclusions thinking that the child is incapable of making the right decision or of thinking sensibly. Children learn best when left to their own devices. The human nature is such that a person figures out a better way of living only when the existent way is challenged.
Showing improvement
A lot of people believe that if a child is allowed to make mistakes, then he will never learn to do a thing the right way. This approach is what keeps them from letting the child do things his way. And they feel that their child should never make mistakes because that might make him/her seem incompetent or not smart enough. The reality, however, is that the child will learn alternative ways to function only if he does things his way. Only after firefighting will he know what is good and what is bad for him.
Independence
Studies show that children who make mistakes and learn on their own are way more independent than kids who only follow what their parents tell them. Children learn things their own way by adapting to the environment. Only by burning their hands once will they know that they’re not supposed to go near the fire and this will help them in the future too when the parents may not be there to help the child.
The effort counts
It is also seen that children perform better when they are praised for their effort in comparison to when they’re praised for their intelligence. Constant appraisal gives the child the courage to keep working hard regardless of the final result. It keeps boosting the kid’s morale and makes the kid a performer. Parents should also realize that they need to appreciate the kid’s hard work more often. Even if the kid is not getting great marks, this consistent effort will make him a winner one day.
No matter how old a person grows, he will always value the lessons he learnt by making mistakes. Humans often think of errors as bad but the truth is that making errors is what makes us human. It is what pushes us to do better in life, it is what tells us how to deal with different situations and it also teaches us how tasting failure will eventually lead to success. Thus, expecting the children to do the right things always is like taking away this right of making mistakes and learning the right way. Not to forget that we hinder the natural process of mental growth while doing so. Understand that your kid is human too, let him make his share of mistakes and embrace the learnings.
