#8 of Pam Sorooshian's "how to"
Sandra Dodd
8. Let kids learn. Don't protect them or control them so much that
they don't get needed experience. But, don't use the excuse of
"natural consequences" to teach them a lesson. Instead, exemplify
kindness and consideration. If you see a toy left lying in the
driveway, don't leave it there to be run over, pick it up and set it
aside because that is the kind and considerate thing to do and
because kindness and consideration are values you want to pass on to
your kids. Natural consequences will happen, they are inevitable. But
it isn't "natural" anymore if you could have prevented it, but chose
not to do so.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
they don't get needed experience. But, don't use the excuse of
"natural consequences" to teach them a lesson. Instead, exemplify
kindness and consideration. If you see a toy left lying in the
driveway, don't leave it there to be run over, pick it up and set it
aside because that is the kind and considerate thing to do and
because kindness and consideration are values you want to pass on to
your kids. Natural consequences will happen, they are inevitable. But
it isn't "natural" anymore if you could have prevented it, but chose
not to do so.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]