Daily Tips for Families

Today's Tip for Families

05-11-2024

Let Your Child Make Lots of Choices

To learn how to make responsible choices about important things, children first need practice deciding about less important things.

The key is to allow your child to make choices within limits you set. For a kindergartner, that might mean choosing between blue jeans and athletic pants when getting dressed in the morning. (You may have already decided it's too cold to wear shorts). An older child might choose which vegetable the family will eat for dinner. Or decide whether to do a math assignment or the reading first.

Before you make a decision for your child, think about whether your child could safely make that decision independently. If possible, say, "You decide."

Critical choices about education and careers, even drug use and risky behavior, will come soon enough. Plenty of practice with all kinds of decision-making will make it easier for your child to make responsible choices when it counts.

Brought to you by:

West Point Consolidated School District