A traditional approach on learning and development is that the little ones start with doing and knowing little and as time goes by and experiences gather, they become more competent.

Learning, therefore, is also development and development is learning. As children grow, they feel the pressure put on them when we expect them to acquire a set of knowledge or skills be it at home or at school. Parents try to add to the skills and competencies of children by taking them to all sorts of activities (swimming, languages courses, tennis, football, handball, basketball, karate, chess, fencing etc) but the amount of time spent outside the family is decreasing and there is the possibility of the child not to feel the affection of his family. A tired and exhausted child will show a change in his disposition and temperament.

Having said that though, a certain amount of pressure on children is needed, but this needs to be carefully managed and alternating with positive events.

It is recommended that you teach children to make their own decisions so that they do not feel pressured but feel that they belong to an environment where they are valued and their opinion counts. Teaching children to make decisions is an important educational component in their development. Often, parents tend to shield children, to impose their own views and deny them the opportunity to make their own choices. It is true that this stems from the desire to protect children from harm, unpleasant experiences and failures, but we should not forget the importance these events have in the children’s development. If they are not allowed to make choices, they will never succeed in understanding the consequences of their own actions. Their own experience will help them develop the ability to react to events, to think, decide and take action.

Though these things seem meaningless, they are the foundation in educating children. They learn to make decisions, to be responsible, to see the consequences of their actions. They see they have an important role in their families and later in society and this way, the pressure on their shoulders diminishes. Of course this will not disappear, as life will always bring tensions, but the child will be prepared to manage these situations independently, without the constant support of the adult next to him.