Healthy risk taking can be beneficial, as it encourages kids to try new things, accept challenges, and venture into the unknown. By guiding children toward healthy challenges, parents can help kids satisfy their natural desire for risk taking, avoid negative outcomes, and bolster confidence and leadership skills - all in an effort to help youth become better equipped to manage risk as they grow into the teen years and into adulthood.
5 Top Tips for Families to Participate in Healthy Risk Taking
*Get out into nature together, such as in parks or on bush walks, as natural settings proving many amazing risk play opportunities.
*Provide experiences with real tools together, such as cooking, gardening, or "fix-it" jobs around the house.
*Give your child space where appropriate, supervising out of the child's direct view so they can gain confidence in mastering their skills 'on their own'.
*Identify the risks or hazards. If there is a hazard, step in and help.
*Try to avoid saying 'no' or 'be careful' in risky play situations. Rather, encourage your child to identify the risks and discuss ways of managing them together. Set boundaries to help guide them through a progression of experiences and levels of risk according to their abilities and experience.
When it comes to teens, it can be a bit more challenging for them to find ways to express themselves in a safe way. Our prevention partners at the Partnership to End Addiction remind us that taking risks is a natural part of teens' identity and development. It provides opportunities to learn new things and explore boundaries. Key is for risks to be healthy ones that will help kids gain confidence and practice problem-solving, decision-making, and resilience - important skills they'll need to succeed in life.
Encourage new learning experiences, such as Summer Camps, that offer a perfect opportunity for kids to give new activities a try. Our friends at Lakeland Mom have compiled the ultimate list of camp options in Lakeland, Bartow, Winter Haven, and across Polk County in their Summer Camp Guide for Lakeland + Polk County at: https://lakelandmom.com/summer-camp-directory/
Reassure your kids that there's everything to gain and nothing to lose - either way, it can be a valuable learning experience. There are always other activities to explore if the first one doesn't work out.
Talk about your healthy risk-taking and share the rewards and failures so kids will know that trial and error is a normal part of finding what works best for us all!
Read more about Healthy Risk Taking
No comments:
Post a Comment