Why should he learn to complete tasks?
A toddler often needs a little help before he can make a new gesture or a new task. For instance, getting dressed, drinking by the glass, asking a friend to lend him a toy, counting or throwing a ball.
Autonomy is more than becoming a grown man or woman. It is also having enough self-confidence to dare to take specific actions and become independent, able to act and think for oneself.
To develop his confidence and his desire to learn, it is necessary to help the child to do something for himself, without doing it for him. There are many ways to support your child’s learning. Here’s what you can do to help him
4 ways to support your toddler’s learning
- Decompose the task to be done in several simple steps. For example, it is difficult for a young child to dress alone. Teach him to put on his socks, then to put his shoes on to distinguish the left from the right, to put them on … When your child masters one step, teach him another.
- Be a model for your child. You can show him how you complete the different tasks.
- Draw the attention of your child to a particular element: “You saw this line on your glass? Pour some milk up to this line.” Your child learns then to recognize indications which will guide his gestures
- Guide his gesture at the beginning. For example, hold the finger to help him to point objects one by one while it counts them.
More and more autonomous
Gradually reduce the support you give your child to encourage him to practice his new skills. So your child gets the little help he needs, but no more. He exercises his new skills and he takes great pride in them. He becomes more and more autonomous. However, if you continue to provide support that he no longer needs, he may doubt his abilities and become dependent on you.
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