Childhood education

Children, little by little, grow up, gaining autonomy, forming and constructing their personality, and at times it is difficult for adults, for the parents, to know how to act or react.  Unfortunately, there is no absolute rule on the matter of education: it is a question of balance and communication.

A child needs to be guided by its parents as he does not yet know what is best for him.  And this is where authority acquires a very important role.  Children should take in the fundamental restrictions related to socialization.  Frustration is an essential experience for childhood development: children should learn to delay immediate satisfaction of their desires.

Of course, authority should not be in conflict with love.  We should be firm but still love the child.  In fact, it is for love of the child that we should give them limits, for their security and for their future development.

One doubt that habitually comes up with parents is how to implement authority.  The key is to be in communication: Prohibiting something from a child without explaining the motive doesn't make any sense, is useless, serves for nothing.  You should clearly explain the motive for its prohibition and reason why. 

Another important aspect is that both parents agree on the decision.  If the child see that both parents take a stand, on yes and no, he will learn from that conduct and will know how to use it to his advantage the next time.  The parents themselves should be authoritative and respect the decision of the other, so that the child also respects it. 

Of course, at the time to place limits, we should also let the child have some ability for action.  We should allow the child to accept the risk and learn that bad actions always bring bad consequences for him.  The disappointments and the knocks are another part of learning.

We want to conclude this article with an assessment: You should not confuse authority with authoritarianism.  A person with authority inspires respect, but an authoritarian inspires fear.