10. Risk-Taking

This week’s discussion centers on an issue Jamie feels very passionate about, and one which she believes makes our kids act out in crappy ways. That issue? Being so incredibly, uncompromisingly protective of our little ones for fear that they get so much as a scratch. Enforcing extreme caution on our kids at too early of an age means they might grow up too terrified to take ANY of the necessary risks in life, which will come back to bite them—and, indirectly, you—once they head off to college. So rather than bubble wrap our tots, we need to let them explore and discover their own physical limitations.

In this episode, Jamie explains the senses at play when it comes to getting a handle on your body, advises you to buddy up with other parents who aren’t afraid to let their kids trip and fall, and helps you come to terms with the fact that your children will need to get a few scratches and scrapes for them to grow on their own terms.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

Try putting yourself in the socks or shoes of a little toddler who’s only recently mastered basic motor functions and is being constantly told to “be careful.”

Letting our children explore their bodies and range of motion is an empowering experience, bruises and all.

Proprioception: our sense of movement and position based on internal stimuli, aka knowing how all our limbs and movements fit together.

Vestibular system: our sense of balance and spatial orientation, aka what keeps us from constantly falling over.

Why your child’s 3rd birthday is when you need to back off a little and let them take a few risks.

What you can do to encourage your little one to explore their range of movement and develop core motor skills.

The benefit of letting our kids engage in old school “big play,” such as tag.

Seek out friendships with other like minded parents who aren’t afraid to let their kids be a little more boisterous.

Some fun ways you can challenge your own kid and foster rough-and-tumble risk taking.

Tips for encouraging your child to explore an environment courtesy of Josée from Backwoods Mama.

Why you shouldn’t lift your little one up to reach something.

Accepting that your kid is going to get hurt at some point, and that it will probably help them in the long run.

Quotes:

“We have to let them explore the limits of their body!”

“There is no magic age at which your child knows how to do something.”

“We have to let kids make mistakes.”

“We’re being too soft on our kids and we spend our time making their lives easier when really we should just be throwing some obstacles in their way.”

“Self-esteem is built by doing things you thought you couldn’t do.”

Links:

Backwoods Mama - https://www.backwoodsmama.com/

The Land documentary - https://www.kanopy.com/product/land-adventure-play-documentary

Jamie’s homepage - http://www.jamieglowacki.com/

Oh Crap! Potty Training - https://www.amazon.com/Crap-Potty-Training-Everything-Parenting-ebook/dp/B00V3L8YSU

Oh Crap! I Have A Toddler [Pre-order my new book] -

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Oh-Crap!-I-Have-a-Toddler/Jamie-Glowacki/Oh-Crap-Parenting/9781982109738

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