How many times a day do you say âbe carefulâ to kids, wanting to make sure they stay safe?
We may not be as helpful as we think.
Experts argue that constantly telling kids to be careful may keep them from learning how to take risks or make mistakes. âTaking risks means sometimes failing,â explains parenting expert Jamie Glowacki. âIf you never take a risk, if you play it safe all the time, you become afraid of making a mistake. You become afraid of failure.â And failure isnât always a bad thing because getting out of your comfort zone can lead to success.
So what are we supposed to say to our kids instead of âbe carefulâ on the playground? Weâre not trying to mess with their development, we want risk assessment, and these alternate phrases encourage awareness and problem solving:
- âRemember that ⊠â
- âNotice how ⊠â
- âWhatâs your plan ⊠â
- âDo you feel ⊠â
- âHow will you ⊠â
- âCan you see ⊠â
- âCan you hear ⊠â
- âTry using your ⊠â
- âAre you feeling ⊠â
- âTake your timeâ
- âIâm here if you need meâ