Some are of the opinion that children should be allowed to make mistakes, while others feel that adults should take a preventative approach. In my opinion, there are limits but it is nonetheless essential for healthy development to permit children their errors.
Proponents of reduced freedom for children argue that mistakes can lead to a pattern of misbehavior. This argument is often advanced by over-protective parents who believe human nature naturally trends toward anti-social activity. For example, a child who is mean to classmates and performs poorly in academics and athletics will only continue this behavior if enabled by understanding adults. To counter the child’s wayward impulses, parents should instead either punish or reward in order to motivate more socially acceptable behavior. The theory is that children will then recognize the boundaries set by parents and society and later fit into the adult world as well-functioning members. egardless, a sense of autonomy is crucial to mature development. Children who are shielded from making mistakes often lack the skills that encourage healthy growth. The majority of learning, for instance, is achieved through mistakes. A child who is learning a sport makes mistake after mistake but does it with a positive attitude and eventually improves. Later in life, the attitude may become more negative but the process remains the same for all disciplines, private and public. Parents and other adults must therefore seek to impart unconditional support and ensure children do not develop self-esteem problems based on their mistakes. This approach of fostering a cheerful self-sufficiency will serve them best throughout life.
In conclusion, although some adults may feel that are preventing children from making mistakes for the public good, they are in fact doing great harm to their child’s mental well-being. If larger segments of society accept this perspective, it will benefit all of society.
Some
are of the opinion that
children
should be
allowed
to
make
mistakes
, while others feel that
adults
should take a preventative approach. In my opinion, there are limits
but
it is nonetheless essential for healthy development to permit
children
their errors.
Proponents of
reduced
freedom for
children
argue that
mistakes
can lead to a pattern of misbehavior. This argument is
often
advanced by over-protective
parents
who
believe human nature
naturally
trends toward anti-social activity.
For example
, a
child
who
is mean to classmates and performs
poorly
in academics and athletics will
only
continue this behavior if enabled by understanding
adults
. To counter the
child’s
wayward impulses,
parents
should
instead
either punish or reward in order to motivate more
socially
acceptable behavior. The theory is that
children
will then recognize the boundaries set by
parents
and society and later fit into the adult world
as well
-functioning members.
egardless
, a sense of autonomy is crucial to mature development.
Children
who
are shielded
from making
mistakes
often
lack the
skills
that encourage healthy growth. The majority of learning,
for instance
,
is achieved
through
mistakes
. A
child
who
is learning a sport
makes
mistake
after
mistake
but
does it with a
positive
attitude and
eventually
improves
. Later in life, the attitude may become more
negative
but
the process remains the same for all disciplines, private and public.
Parents
and other
adults
must
therefore
seek to impart unconditional support and ensure
children
do not develop self-esteem problems based on their
mistakes
. This approach of fostering a cheerful self-sufficiency will serve them best throughout life.
In conclusion
, although
some
adults
may feel that are preventing
children
from making
mistakes
for the public
good
, they are in fact doing great harm to their
child’s
mental well-being. If larger segments of society accept this perspective, it will benefit
all of society
.