Out of the Box: 7 Elements for Raising a Self-Directing Child

We all feel proud when our children come to us for advice. But is their decision-making process really a result of their own experience and thinking or ours? And if they don’t come to us, where else will they go? Their peers? The media? Their teachers? Their pastor? Odds are, all these different sources will have a vested interest in what they do. Can we really know what’s best for our children in the long run? Is there truly a right and wrong way to do things? Probably not. Our culture tells us that we should think for ourselves, yet, ostracizes those who don’t align with the good of our clan or social group. In aligning, we train our children to seek advice and permission for all important decisions from only the authorities we respect and honor. Granted, we want our children to live in harmony and follow the laws and rules that keep things running smoothly but to what extent is it healthy to follow only what has been prescribed by our culture? At what point does it interfere with their creativity and ability to be self-directing? In guiding them we must develop the courage to allow them to surpass us in what we have become and accomplished. Out of the Box gives us the tools to enable our children to do just that; become self-directing and helps us to assist them in choosing what they think and feel is best.