Helping Children Gain Independence Safely

There are many different milestones along the way to mark the path of parenting – when your baby goes onto solids and tries their very first food, your toddler tentatively taking their first step, or even the first time you leave them with someone else to be looked after.

It can feel like its all going past so quickly and before you know it, its gone full circle and the next milestone is actually them leaving you and going out independently. Now this one is a big milestone for a lot of reasons, not only are you experiencing one of the first stages of them growing up and away from you, but you are also navigating them moving into new territory where their safety now falls to them as individuals, as well as to us as parents.

I have recently gone through this transition with my children and have found there are a few tips that can help the adjustment and provide reassurance for all:

Set up a Tracker

When your child goes out alone for the first few times, it is a strange sensation. You have spent so many years, knowing what they are doing, where and with who – this shift can certainly feel strange. One way to keep your child safer when they go out independently is to use a tracker so you can trace where they are. Paj GPS are a company that specialises in this type of equipment and they have a GPS Tracker for Kids that’s perfect for this. Simply place it in your child’s bag or pocket then the tracker will do the rest: including live tracking, route recording, an SOS button and instant alerts. It not only gives reassurance to you, but is also is helpful for your children too. They know as well, that you know where they are at any given time -so if they ever need any help, you can track them down.

Talk Through Emergency Situations

Obviously it goes without saying that most parents have a safety chat with their children before they go out on their own. From road safety to stranger danger, there’s a lot of different things to cover. But its also worth covering what to do in different hypothetical emergency situations. Who to speak to if they need help, or what to do if they get lost. Its surprising how many children and teens don’t know the UK emergency telephone number or think its 911 from watching American films, rather than 999!

Take Slow Steps

Every child is different, some are desperate for the time they can do things independently, while others feel nervous of being out without the security of their parents. A way to work up going out alone, walking to school for example or going into town with friends, is to take small steps in the lead up. These little increments are also just as important to those desperate to go out alone as much as those who are nervous. Its all about to allowing them to deal with micro scenarios one at a time first. If you start off letting your child go through the checkout at the supermarket alone, remaining playing in the park alone while you pack up the car, or even popping to a neighbours to ask to borrow something. These little hurdles help them to get used to thinking ahead or interacting with others independently first.

Whenever you decide the time is right for your offspring to take those all important steps of going out alone, I hope these tips were helpful and that the road of independence is a smooth one for you all.