The Importance of Choice Making

~Studies show the importance of letting your child make choices for them selves when they are young.~ For example, it makes the child feel important when he or she is given the choice to play video games for an hour and then do their homework, or to do their homework and then play video games. Even the smallest choices you allow them to make like picking out the clothes to wear for school, or picking which book they want to read before bed, can be good choices you can give them to benefit the way they handle decision making in the future. For example a child who constantly makes choices early on in life is more likely to make healthy decisions as an adult.

Another benefit that a friend pointed out to me when trying out this technique frequently throughout her day was the amount of appreciation her children showed towards her.

"Having my children make their own choices more frequently throughout the day made them feel important. I found that everyone was happier and I didn't have to constantly feel that I was ordering them around. For instance instead of telling my youngest daughter to put her coat on I asked if she wanted to put it on or take it with her, because either way it needed to leave the house with us." -Anna R.

Decision makeing as a child may increase his/her ability to make wise choices as they get older.