Trying new things is risky, right? So many things contribute to a sense of uncertainty when faced with a new situation. The unknown, whether meeting a new person, trying a new activity or learning a new dance, can be unnerving.
Fear Of The Unknown
For some children, fear of the unknown can be truly challenging.
Some avoid unfamiliar events, objects, and people and withdraw or shut down.
The good news is that you can take a few easy steps to encourage your children to gradually take part in new or challenging situations.
Gentle encouragement, building self-esteem, and creating opportunities for incremental independence go a long way.
The Role of Parents
We all know that the role of parents in children’s learning, development and well-being is fundamentally important.
Our children constantly watch us, even when they seem to not listen to us.
They make a note of when they see us trying new things or see us challenge ourselves in different and unfamiliar situations.
We model behaviours to our children non-stop – and they make a note of these, observe and learn from us.
Normalise Failure
When we normalise and model failure, we give our children the freedom to fail and try new things without having to succeed.
They will learn that perfection isn’t necessary when we try something new.
Along with embracing failure, we need to encourage effort and persistence- “wow, you’ve worked on this for so long! I am impressed by your persistence!”
Children learn in different ways; they all have individual strengths and interests. Allow yourself to take the pressure off and focus on encouraging curiosity and a growth mindset.
Learning, after all, comes with its risks and wonderful benefits.
Believe in your children and enjoy the ride!
Further Reading
Teaching Gratitude to Children
