All parents like their children to be self-dependent. It especially becomes essential if both you and your spouse are working. With your limited time with your child, it is pretty tricky to school them and makes them self-sufficient. Furthermore, parents try to protect their children and make their lives more comfortable. Often overprotection makes it difficult for parents to set their little ones on a difficult path of being independent. 
 

However, it is not just a wise decision to make your kid self-reliant right from childhood; it is also the need of the hour. You can follow some simple tricks and methods that might produce rewarding results. To begin with, let us understand what it means to be self-dependent.
 

When you check the self-dependent meaning, you will know it is nothing but relying on oneself for all of one's requirements. A kid must be self-dependent right from an early age to survive independently.
 

5 Ways to Make Child Self-Dependent
 

Some of the ways to make your child self-dependent are as below:
 

• Do not spoon-feed them or protect them from everything.
  
  Let your child explore and experiment with things in their way. Refrain from advising them on what to do and what not to do. You can start by assigning them small tasks like making beds, doing laundry, packing lunch boxes, etc. Make sure that the job assigned to them are as per their capabilities, something they can do.
  
  To make them responsible, try not to direct them in the tasks they perform. Let them take a call between what is right and what is not. If they cannot figure it out for themselves, that is where you should step in.
  
  Ensure that you do not protect them unnecessarily. For example, if your kid forgets to do their homework, let them face the consequences once they are at school. If they obtain punishment from their teachers, let them handle it themselves. It will help them become better students and direct them towards being self-dependent in solving problems.
  
  
• Involve them in household tasks and assign them responsibilities.
  
  Sharing responsibility with your child might open many windows for self-dependence. Firstly, try to make your child feel that they are essential in the household and that their opinion matters to you. Once you have that checked, assign them simple household tasks that prove your words.
  
  Ask them to help you in cleaning up the house, doing the groceries, and accomplishing laundry. If they have younger siblings, try giving them the simple responsibility of looking after them for some time while you are away. You must always appreciate your kid's efforts and reward them at times to boost their self-confidence. These simple tasks of responsibility will help them become self-dependent in no time. 
  
  
• Help them become organised in life.
  
  As a parent, you must ensure that your kid is organised and methodical in his ways. You can teach them organisational skills by assigning them tasks such as arranging their toys after play, organising their beds, etc.
  
  Let them keep track of their schedules such as school timings, co-curricular activities, project submissions, home works and more. You must also look over it once in a while to ensure everything is on track. You can ask them to keep planners and calendars to ensure they do not miss out on anything. 
  
  
• Let them manage their problems.
  
  As a parent, you must ensure that your child is always safe. But, don't be so overprotective that you solve all their problems voluntarily. Let your child choose their battles and fight them too. Keep a close watch on them and give them the provision of coming to you if they are stuck somewhere and need your help. Do not provide them with a solution right away. Instead, try to direct them on the right path and help them find the correct answers. 
  
  
• Teach them the value of money.
  
  You need to teach your child the value of money to be able to take a big step toward being self-dependent. You can start this by giving them allowances monthly or weekly. Mention specific rules on spending the allowances to ensure they do not misspend. Help them prioritise their needs by advising them that they can buy anything they want with the excess amount from their pocket money.
  
  It would give them an idea about savings and spending. They will become more self-dependent when it comes to managing money. Comparing your child with peers is a bad idea. Never compare. Always ensure that your child gets rewarded for a good act. The five ways mentioned are mere indicators. You can have your processes in place to make your child self-dependent in India.
   

What Else Can You Do?
  

• As a parent, you have a few other responsibilities as well. Make your child understand the importance of self-dependence. Direct them towards the path, even though, as a parent, it might be a challenging task for you
• Always check on the self-dependent status of your child. Keep increasing the complexity of the tasks assigned to them. It can ensure their grasping ability and how fast they can become self-dependent in a self-dependent India. 
• Secure their future financially and ensure they get the correct form of education. You can avail of different child insurance plans to make your child self-dependent on finances. Tata AIA insurance has various schemes that might be of good use to you. Check them out to know them in detail before buying.
   

Conclusion
 

You have a rough idea about how to help your child become independent. As a parent, secure your child's future by teaching them the values and giving them financial security. Buy a child life insurance plan today and take a step ahead towards securing your kid’s future. 

L&C/Advt/2023/Jan/0047