2023-06-03 08:30:00
While all children like to take risks when they play, it is the parents’ responsibility to supervise their safety. If some people tend to see dangers everywhere, others will find it difficult to perceive them.
Differentiate between perceived danger and real danger
If all the little ones like to climb on a rock, walk on a tree trunk or climb for example, it is because it allows them to test their physical limits while developing their creativity and self-confidence. However, the younger a child is, the less aware he is of danger.
A common source of parental conflict is the distinction between perceived danger and actual danger. Indeed a real danger is something which can lead to a serious physical injury or damage the health of the child, for example letting him run or play in the street when he can be hit by a car. On the other hand, a perceived danger depends on the point of view of the parent and the autonomy that he wishes to give to his child.
Agree on acceptable risk-taking
Talking with the other parent regarding the risks to which their child is exposed allows everyone to express their concerns in order to find a balance between protection and healthy risk-taking for their development. It is a question of discussing concrete examples like climbing in height, letting him move away in an unfenced space, or playing with certain objects.
If you become aware of your tendency to overprotect your child, you can try a gradual method of stepping back when you watch your child. Start at a close distance then with each outing move away a little, until you find the reasonable distance that allows you to keep an eye on your child while being able to intervene quickly in case of danger.
For this, you can try to adapt your reaction according to the level of risk:
– if you judge that there is no danger, watch your child without intervening.
– if you perceive a potential danger, check that your child is aware of the risks associated with his game by asking him what he intends to do to avoid the potential dangers and setting limits if necessary.
– if you perceive a real danger, intervene with your child to reduce the risk but avoid saying discouraging phrases such as “stop doing that, you’ll hurt yourself” or “don’t try, you’ll just hurt yourself“. You can instead say “I know you can do it, but we need to find a safer way to do it together” or “I understand that you want to try, but we need to find a solution that will allow you to have fun safely.”
Learn more: “Do you know you’re awesome?” by Stefan Waidelich and Nikhila Anil.
1685781597
#acceptable #risks #child
