Stepping Stones

Guiding children toward independence.

- Malia Jacobson

From birth onward, children are busy building a vast array of skills to help them toward a healthy, independent adulthood. According to child psychiatrist Dr. Vinay Saranga, founder of Saranga Comprehensive Psychiatry, parents and caregivers play a key role in supporting budding independence, but there is such a thing as too much support.

“As parents, you want to help your kids as much as you can without micromanaging them. One of the best ways to help build independence is to help when you have to, but mostly let them figure things out for themselves,” say Saranga.

Easier said than done, right? Here’s help learning when to step in and when to let go, from babyhood through the teen years.

EARLY YEARS

Symbol Savvy In the first years of life, children use their senses to learn about the world. Very young children can’t yet view themselves as separate from others, and assume others share their thoughts. Helping children develop their ability to think symbolically — that is, understand that an object, word or symbol can represent something else — helps build children’s growing sense of self and lays the groundwork for more complex thought.