Preschoolers are tons of fun! They are full of wonderment and discovery. However, for parents, letting go and letting their tiny tot begin to make the transition from little boy/girl to big boy/girl can sometimes be hard and extremely difficult.
Here are a three tips for parents to help them help their child make the grade.
1. Set the bar high. Little Johnny or Susie, need to know that you hold high expectations them in life, so why not start out now by setting the bar high and watching them go after it! Don’t hold back because YOU think that they cannot do it, let them try, you just might be surprised. Whether it is a simple task or something more complex, put the expectation out there and watch them meet it!
2. Let them do x for themselves if they can. Sometimes parents become a little impatient and want to help rush their little ones along in doing certain tasks. It is never malicious, parents just think that with their help, the task will get done quicker or to their complete satisfaction. Well, stop! If your children can do “whatever” on their own, let them! We all learn from trial and error. Just make sure that you are there as a guiding light but please, let them take the wheel.
3. Chores, chores, chores. Don’t wait until they are preteens and/or teens to assign chores, assign your preschooler a chore to do before they are old enough to complain. Preschoolers want to be helpful, so let them. Whether it is helping you wash the dishes, feed the dog, vacuum, you name it, enlist their help and watch tiny hands go to work. Chores give little ones such a sense of accomplishment while at the same time giving you an extra body to help do the housework.
But, most of all, make sure that you praise your toddler. Praise is super important during the preschool phase. Simply let your tiny one know that you are his or her number one fan!
