Child Development: Are we helping kids become independent or holding them back? | Sharon Aitken
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How do you know when your child is ready for more independence? And how do you tell the difference between normal growing-up behaviour and something that needs your attention?
Child development doesn't happen according to a neat timetable.
In this episode of The Joy Movement, Kate speaks with educational psychologist Sharon Aitken about what actually happens as children move through different developmental stages, and why parents need to look beyond age-based milestones when understanding who their children are becoming.
From early childhood and school comparison to puberty, adolescence and the gradual transition into adulthood, Sharon explains why resilience is built through challenges, why children learn more from what parents model than what they tell them, and why being present matters so much to emotional security.
Sharon challenges the idea that parents should simply step back as children get older, explaining why developmental readiness matters more than a fixed age and why staying connected can be one of the most important things a parent does.
In this episode:
- Why child development is much more fluid than traditional age-based milestones suggest
- How parents can build resilience, confidence and a growth mindset
- Why active listening can help children develop problem-solving skills
- What happens psychologically when puberty begins
- Why parents shouldn't confuse age with developmental readiness
- How to gradually build the independence children will eventually need
If you're raising children and sometimes wonder whether you're protecting them too much, expecting too much, or letting go too soon, this conversation offers a thoughtful way to look at the journey.
Child development doesn't happen according to a neat timetable.
In this episode of The Joy Movement, Kate speaks with educational psychologist Sharon Aitken about what actually happens as children move through different developmental stages, and why parents need to look beyond age-based milestones when understanding who their children are becoming.
From early childhood and school comparison to puberty, adolescence and the gradual transition into adulthood, Sharon explains why resilience is built through challenges, why children learn more from what parents model than what they tell them, and why being present matters so much to emotional security.
Sharon challenges the idea that parents should simply step back as children get older, explaining why developmental readiness matters more than a fixed age and why staying connected can be one of the most important things a parent does.
In this episode:
- Why child development is much more fluid than traditional age-based milestones suggest
- How parents can build resilience, confidence and a growth mindset
- Why active listening can help children develop problem-solving skills
- What happens psychologically when puberty begins
- Why parents shouldn't confuse age with developmental readiness
- How to gradually build the independence children will eventually need
If you're raising children and sometimes wonder whether you're protecting them too much, expecting too much, or letting go too soon, this conversation offers a thoughtful way to look at the journey.
