"I can't do it.... I did it!" by Mikayla Wilder

“I can’t do it… I did it!”
By Miss Mikayla 

We all want children to succeed but sometimes we get in the way of their learning. When we’re rushing to get outside after snack, it becomes a bit chaotic if we try to speed up the process to get outside as quickly as possible. After realizing my own impatient state of mind in those moments, I realize that I’m stepping in too much. Rather than allowing children to learn things for themselves, like getting dressed to go outside, we are tempted to do it for them to save time. This isn’t always the best way for children to grow.
One little friend approaches obstacles by saying “I can’t do it” without trying. I’d step in and explain what I was doing while doing it for her, whether it was helping her to climb onto a bench, put on a second boot or zip up her jacket. After noticing the dependency, I stopped stepping in right away. Now when a child becomes frustrated doing a task, I approach them with support and make sure to encourage them with a positive message like “you can do anything you set your mind to.” I also verbally simplify the steps to make it happen and give them space to explore. Sometimes they figure it out and gleam up at me with big smiling eyes that say “I did it!” Other times they would attempt something and then ask for help. Then I would demonstrate the act and explain what I was doing.
It is so important to allow a child the opportunity to learn by giving them space to explore. Of course, there will be times when your help is needed, but we want to avoid stepping in right away so children have that space. Making sure a child has the opportunity to try and resolve the issue on their own is so important. We may give advice and counsel, but need to allow them to discover the answers. Sometimes we need to let them solve their own problems and come up with their own solutions. Our role should be to encourage interdependency; children who approach situations with confidence and have the wisdom to ask for help when they feel they need