As kids mature, and need more independence, a parent’s job changes from “fixer” to “consultant,” says Harold Koplewicz, MD, president of the Child Mind Institute. It’s a tricky transition to make, requiring patience, trust and (frankly) restraint. It isn’t easy to watch your kids struggle and make mistakes, particularly when you think you know how to solve their problem or accomplish their task. But in his new book The Scaffold Effect, Dr. Koplewicz explains that giving them room to struggle, and even fail, is crucial to preparing them for adult life.
This week on childmind.org we are featuring an excerpt from The Scaffold Effect that focuses on raising children who are empowered to grow. How to best support kids while they struggle isn’t always obvious, but Dr. Koplewicz offers a technique he calls “scaffold parenting,” which prioritizes giving kids just enough supportive structure to encourage them to become confident, resilient problem-solvers.
