Top 10 techniques for teaching children under 5 to be independent

Children under 5 have very fast cognitive abilities; they easily mimic adult gestures and actions. The first step in fostering independence in children is to teach them personal hygiene. Parents should patiently guide children to do small tasks such as dressing themselves, brushing teeth, washing faces, combing hair, or putting toys away in the designated place. Educating children at this stage requires patience, skill, and discipline. Be a role model and ask the child to repeat small 'self-service' tasks under your supervision. Surely you will feel that taking care of your child becomes much easier when they can take care of their personal hygiene.

Children under 5 love to play mischievously. With the toys you buy, they can be engrossed in playing with them for hours but then they may throw them around the house or bed immediately after. To cultivate independence in your child, parents should analyze and teach the child tidiness. You can provide the child with a basket or toy chest. After playing, instruct the child to neatly arrange the toys. You can explain to the child that tidiness will help them find their favorite toys faster and keep them longer.

This method may seem unreasonable for a child under 5, as eating is still a struggle, let alone cooking. In reality, experts always advise parents to teach their children the simplest cooking steps to foster independence. Because cooking is one of the essential skills that helps humans survive. You can involve your child in the kitchen, initially helping them memorize and differentiate the names of vegetables and spices. Then, as the child grows, they will gradually recognize different types of food and learn to use kitchen utensils. A child who knows how to cook is an early independent child.

This method of fostering independence is very simple. With dirty clothes changed daily, remind your child to keep them tidy, then you take the dirty clothes to wash. You can teach your child how to use the washing machine, then show them how to fold towels, clothes, socks... after they have dried. These small tasks will lay a good foundation for your child to be independent in their future life.

Usually, children under 5 often receive their own money on occasions like New Year or birthdays. When your child goes to kindergarten, they have been taught by teachers about counting, and they understand that money, whether large or small, belongs to them. This is a good time to educate your children about money management. In some countries with advanced education systems, parents have guided their children to learn about spending and saving money as well as managing their finances from a young age. So, to foster independence in your child, analyze and explain to them what money is? How to earn money? And how to spend money wisely? This helps instill in your child an appreciation for the material possessions they own and how to spend them reasonably as they grow older.

Parents cannot be with their children 24/7. In times when there is no one around, children need to know how to walk alone, handle situations encountered on the road. In Japan, children under 6 years old can already go to school alone. However, that does not mean you abandon the child. You need to teach the child regulations about traffic laws, how to look at signs, or simply remember the home address, parents' phone number when leaving home. Teaching children to walk alone is also a way to help them develop skills to prevent and handle dangers in life.

Pets at home are often close to children, they can be very cute little friends for them. Parents should educate their children on how to treat pets. Start by getting children familiar with feeding pets, grooming them, or taking them for a walk every day. From these activities, children will develop a sense of care as well as enhance their emotional connection with the things around them. A small note for parents is to observe your child's reaction to pets and intervene appropriately.

One of the key factors determining whether your child can become independent is the child's ability to make choices. You will completely fail in educating your child about independence if the child does not like or cooperate. Parents can encourage children to choose daily tasks and preferences. When children are interested, they will remember quickly and enjoy performing your requests.

Your child has not yet reached the age of five. The child's memory capacity is still within certain limits. Therefore, to stimulate and cultivate independence in your child, you can guide them on how to make lists. Parents can help the child write or remember the tasks to do each day and how to complete them. Under 5 years old, your child can take care of personal hygiene, tidy up toys, and organize dirty clothes by themselves... Don't forget to observe how your child does it and correct their mistakes promptly.

No matter how brilliant your theory is, if your child doesn't implement it, the journey of teaching independence will be a complete failure. Let your child do everything they want under the supervision of parents. Absolutely do not do it for them. The first few times, your child may be hesitant or make mistakes, but gradually your child will gain experience and perform tasks smoothly.