Bravery is something that we’ve all got our own opinion of, and when our children are of that age where they like to jump in puddles or they dive off the couch, we can be quick to discourage this, but we must remember that it’s so important to have that sense of adventure in our children so they can be healthy and happy. So what do we have to remember when it comes to raising adventurous kids?
Set the Example
Of course, our children will follow our lead up to a point. It’s around the age of seven that they start to follow their own beliefs, and if we’ve spent their entire life discouraging them from doing anything adventurous, it’s hardly a surprise that they are going to be a shrinking violet. This is why we’ve got to start setting the example by doing things that are adventurous to them. Something like camping might be old hat to you, but this can easily take them out of their comfort zone. If you want to get started with camping, it is important to make sure you do it in the right environment so it is more controlled. There are camping gear providers such as EcoGear FX that can get you started, but the most important thing to remember is that when we set the example, this is a template for our children to follow, whether it’s good or bad.
Try New Things
We all get stuck in a rut as parents. We think that we shouldn’t try new things because we’ve had it tough up to this point. But there are so many great benefits of trying new things; this HuffPost article highlights some of the amazing benefits of trying something new all of the time. It takes us out of our comfort zone and it makes us appreciate that when something new occurs it’s there to be embraced, rather than to be feared. This is such an important lesson for our children to remember. Something new is not to be feared. As they say, “try it, you might like it!”
Learn the “Why”
If you want to raise inquisitive children, having them ask “why” all the time can be frustrating, but it’s important to remember that adventurousness is about curiosity as well. Learning why something happens is just as important as doing something. When your children have a bunch of questions, rather than saying you don’t know, you’ve got Google on your phone. See what interesting information you can find!
Go Beyond the Comfort Zone
We are always trying to get away from their screens and if we want adventurous children, we’ve got to take them outside of their comfort zone. Children will tell you if they don’t like something, but if your child doesn’t like climbing up on a climbing frame, it’s important to remember that overcoming fears is about doing little and often. Rather than climbing up to the top of the climbing frame, get them onto the first rung at the very bottom. As soon as they get used to this and they feel secure, you can push the boat further out.
This is a contributed post.