Sometimes our expectations for our children can be a little high. When we don’t understand their development we can become frustrated at them for doing what is entirely normal.
For example, did you know on average, children don’t regulate their emotions competently until around 7 or 8 years old? So getting cranky at your 5 year-old for being emotional is a little unfair. To some extent, she can’t help it.
And teenagers are often impulsive and sensation seeking. The brain structure responsible for forward planning and risk calculation won’t fully develop until their early twenties… but the emotional part of their brain is developing fast! They get excited and go for it.
It’s not wise, but it’s – frustratingly – fairly normal.
It’s up to us, as parents, to learn what our kids should be able to do, and work with that!
By keeping our expectations high, but appropriate, our children will be happier, and more secure. And we, as their parents, can be confident they’re growing up just how they should be.
