Embedded Files
Children’s decision making is strongly influenced by the expectations and values they learn from those around them. This occurs through observing others (particularly those close to them), hearing about and discussing values, and having opportunities to make decisions and experience their consequences.
Children’s decision making is strongly influenced by the expectations and values they learn from those around them. This occurs through observing others (particularly those close to them), hearing about and discussing values, and having opportunities to make decisions and experience their consequences.
Helping Children to Make Good Decisions
Helping Children to Make Good Decisions
Even young children regularly choose how they will behave, which toys or games they would like to play with, which books they would like to have read to them, or which television shows they would like to watch. As they get older children make bigger decisions that often involve their family, their friends and their schoolwork. The kinds of decisions children make affect their wellbeing, their relationships and their success.
Children learn skills for making good decisions gradually. Parents, carers and school staff can help children learn how to make good decisions by providing effective guidance and supporting them as they practise.
Keys to supporting children’s decision-making skills
Keys to supporting children’s decision-making skills
Provide chances to practise
Teach children the steps for decision-making and practise with them. Remember that children’s abilities for making decisions develop with experience and maturity. Start with simple choices and gradually build up to bigger, more complex decisions as their abilities and skills improve.
Support for autonomy
Provide children with structure and input but let them make decisions that are appropriate for their age and level of responsibility. If adults make all the decisions for children or continually override their decisions, children cannot develop the sense of autonomy that is necessary for them to make wise decisions for themselves.
Require responsibility
Provide tasks and expectations that require children to make a meaningful contribution to the family. Getting them to be responsible for feeding pets, looking after their sports gear, managing their pocket money, or regularly doing a particular household chore gives children opportunities to make decisions and demonstrate responsible behaviour.
Teach values
Good decisions are guided by values. Children learn about what to value by example and through discussion. Talking about the positive values you use to make decisions (eg caring, honesty, respect, keeping healthy) provides children with positive models for their own decision-making.
Helping Children to Choose Wisely.pdfRemember that a child's ability to make decisions develops with experience and maturity.
Remember that a child's ability to make decisions develops with experience and maturity.
LEARN MORE
Decision-making skills: children and young people gradually learn skills for making good decisions, now and into the future.
Report abuse