10 tips for teaching Independence

1. 1. Children learn best, not by watching, but by doing.

2. 2. Give a simple step-by-step, eye-level demonstration. Speak slowly with plenty of pauses.

3. 3. Be patient. There’s nothing instant about learning.

4. 4. Stay nearby, but don’t hover.

5. 5. Mistakes are how we learn. Give your child the freedom to make them.

6. 6. Turn off the screens. Distractions make it harder to think.

7. 7. No paparazzi. Let your child think about what they’re doing, not how they look doing it.

8. 8. Even a simple task is made up of many skills. Each one has to be learned before the task can be mastered.

9. 9. Put your child in a situation that’s right for their age and treat them as a capable person.

   10. Praise the new skills and ignore the lapses. A positive parent seldom raises a negative child.