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This blog contains parenting tips for parents of young children who like to help out, but don’t do a very good job of it.

 

This parenting problem can be summed up as: “My child’s helpfulness makes my work more difficult.”

 

In my own parent-child relationship, while I was attempting to unload the clean dishes from the dishwasher the other day, my confident toddler was happily trying to “help” by placing his shoes upon the empty dishwasher rack.

 

In his mind, he was contributing, not presenting me with a child discipline challenge.

 

To demonstrate positive parenting wisdom, I know that I need to be careful when something like this happens.

 

If I become too focused on the task of housework, I might overlook the task of effective, positive parenting.

 

There are no COST-FREE parenting solutions. There are consequences for every choice.

 

I want my son to feel self-confidence and self-worth.So I sometimes have to overlook his mistakes and focus on, and respond positively to, what he is getting right.

 

His urge to help is something I want to nurture, not stifle.  He was not displaying a child behavioral problem by attempting to contribute.  He was practicing doing chores.

 

I know my child needs to feel secure in my love, appreciation, and admiration – that that is crucial for his healthy emotional development.

 

That is why I said, “Thank you for being so helpful” as his contribution really only added to my housework drudgery.

 

I was careful to not remove his shoe from the clean dish-wrack to avoid causing him to feel wrong for what he did, because I feel confident that he actually did his very best, which is something I want to encourage.

 

As his understanding and skills improve through practice and experience, child development will make his best produce better results.

 

Of course I don’t feel like having to unload dirty sneakers from my dishwasher.  Of course I don’t appreciate my toddler creating more work for me.

 

But what I want even LESS is undermine my child’s to self-confidence, my child’s self-esteem, and his drive to contribute and to do his very best.

 

In this blog, please share examples from your own parent-child relationship of when your child’s effort to help made more work for you, and how you handled that.

 

Also share any questions you have about how to respond to child behavior challenges in ways that support the child development of improved self-conduct.

 

Receive your FREE Parenting Advice through this blog. Simply ask Bob Lancer your question and receive his Lancer’s Answer in this blog.

Wisie Members: Please feel welcome to share your views in this blog regarding any of the Wisie videos, and to ask questions about how to make the most of them.