Baby Freebies

Many parents will be only too familiar with this problem. Your child wants to do something, or play with something that is unsuitable or dangerous and when you try to stop them or take it away all hell breaks loose.

The way in whcih parents deal with these sometimes frequent situations is one of the biggest trials that they must face. Children will develop social competence and self confidence if they are provided with tolerance and praise for their positive actions. But parents need to assert their authority and remain in charge.

A typical toddler can be told to stop doing what they are doing up to as much as 20 times in every hour. Nione of us would like to be told what to do or not to do every three minutes?

Parents often need to assert control in order to prevent children from harming themselves or one another when they are only doing what comes naturally. Putting a knife in their mouths, poking their baby brother in the eye or hanging out of a window are examples of how children may be investigating the world around them, but in a risky manner.

Providing the child with alternatives can be an excellent way to enable them to continue to investigate and learn. For example, you might simply exchange a metal knife for a plastic one or a spoon. Or demonstrating how much it can hurt to be poked in the eye.

Alternatives can provide an effective way to head off a potentially tense situation, but they don’t always work. It’s a good idea to first acknowledge what the child is trying to do and then introduce them to the alternative. Its then important to encourage the child to engage with the alternative by using it yourself and convincing the child that it is more interesting than whatever they were doing before.

There will be many occasions when it simply isn’t possible to provide alternatives and these can help to teach children that the world has its limits. But providing safe alternatives to potentially risky or harmful behavior can help to reinforce a positive relationship with your children and teach them that other options are often available.

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I recommend camping as a great way to bond with children, to provide them with freedom to investigate the world around them and engage with their parents or carers. But always remember to ensure safety by using the right camping equipment. You may like to take part in a bushcraft course where children will learn a variety of skills including how to handle a bushcraft knife, start a fire without matches and tracking skills.