My daughter walks Parker to school. It's just down the street and around the corner. It takes 6 minutes to walk or 7 minutes if Zoey is wearing her princess heels. There is only one street to cross and it is the one in front of the school with the crossing guard. Last Friday (and only the fifth day), she had to drive him to school because it was pouring down rain. That should have been her first clue as it never rains in El Paso! When they parked at the corner, Parker unbuckled, jumped into the front seat and said, I know where to go and can do it by myself. Emily did what every first time mom of a new Kindergartener, day care or other school setting said, No way Dude! They crossed the street together then he walked ahead and kept looking back to make she wasn't closing the distance. He made her stop 100 yards from the door and proceeded to go in all by himself. When she called me, what made me laugh was I had told her she would want to 'wean' him from her walking him in probably in a few weeks!! I should have realized Parker would be ready WAY before that.
Oh the heartbreak of not being needed and realizing your child is growing up. It's so hard for moms but so exciting for your child and...the educator/caregiver of your child. We want our children to be independent, that's a skill that will be needed in life. Children who are independent, are confident in a school setting, do so much better in the long run. What parents don't realize is that once the parent is gone, the teacher isn't being a helicopter caregiver. The teacher/caregiver is hoping the child is or will be independent.
I am not saying to start letting your 3 year old walk to the park solo. But, can you teach your child to hold your hand and walk? It is troubling to me when I see parents carrying children very capable of walking. It's one thing if you scoop them up because you are rushed crossing a street or something, but please let them walk. Are there times when you can say, Go on, I am watching, you got this. Whatever you do, don't carry your child into school. Walk your child to the room or cafeteria and then walk away.
How about eating? Maybe it's time to let your child feed him/herself. I know it's so much easier to do it for them, but that won't build self-confidence or independence. When they are particularly young it's a little harder but you can still let them begin to be independent. As you start to do something for your child, think, can he or she do this or try to do this? I know it's really cute and fun when they are 2, 3 or 5. But it's not so cute when you are still walking them into their college class!
Just food for thought. Take baby steps. Typically the child is ready for independence before you are ready for them to be. Where can you let go....let them have a little independence?
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