We are responsible for the decisions we make in our lives. Life offers us a variety of choices, and it is up to us whether we choose the good ones or the bad. The career path we chose, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the life partner we choose, all these are things which we can decide upon. As parents, it is our duty to teach our children to make the right choices in life.

We can start teaching our children to make choices and to be responsible for their own decisions from an early age. Even pre-schoolers can learn to make their choices. Offer your pre-schooler small and simple choices. For instance, you can ask your child to choose whether she wants to have an apple or a banana for breakfast. If she doesn’t like it, it is her responsibility and not yours. You can also lay out two outfits and ask them which one she would like to wear. Such exercises teach children the art of choosing.

With older children, you will have to be more creative and emotionally involved. Talk to your child about a particular decision and explain the choices she has. Then proceed to explain the pros and cons of each one. Initially, get your child involved in decisions which involve them, and then slowly involve them in decisions which involve the entire family. For instance, you can let your child decide the menu for dinner or how to allot chores among siblings.

It is important to teach your children how to choose the foods that are right for them. For instance, when faced with a choice between junk food and fresh fruits and vegetables, they should know well enough to choose the latter. You can do this by setting an example yourself. Teach good and healthy eating habits at home and your child will take the cue from you. Similarly, it is your duty to let your child know that she is responsible for the words she speaks and their consequences. Teach her to speak politely and to choose words carefully. She can either choose to speak rudely and deal with the consequences or she can speak politely and make a good impression.

As children grow, they are faced with even more difficult choices. There is the problem of peer pressure, the emotional roller coaster of relationships and a lot more. Talk to your child about the dangers of drugs and pre-marital sex and other such topics. Tell them about your own experiences and what you learnt from it. Similarly, talk to them about the importance of good friends and how to choose friends carefully. There are so many different types of people and not everyone is good. It is up to your child to decide which friends are worth keeping and which ones ought to be avoided. You will also have to instruct them on how to resist peer pressure and the like. Set rules and boundaries so that your child doesn’t overstep their limits.

Later in life your children will have to make choices regarding their occupation, life partner and more. The values you inculcate in them and the decision making skills you help them develop will come in handy when they make such major life-changing decisions.

Jason Ladock

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