How Much Freedom Is Too Much?

How much freedom with children is too much? I read a blog post by another mommy blogger this week about "helicopter parenting" and it got me thinking. This type of parenting seems to be very prevalent these days. It is when parents like to hover over their children to try to keep them safe. I will admit, I have parented like this on many occasions, but overall, I think I have a good balance. I let my older girls walk to and from school by themselves. I don't mind if my kids climb trees or jump off benches. I even allow them to jump on the bed or off the couches on occasion. We have dealt with broken bones and scrapes and bruises. And in the end, my girls can see the limitations of their bodies for themselves, instead of hearing what they can't do from me all the time.

Jaiden loves to jump off the last three steps of our staircase. She does it daily now, but she had to work up to that third step. She started on the first one and realized that was too easy, so she kept going from there. She has also tried progressing to the fourth step, but she has come to realize that she is not ready for that yet. At first I told her not to jump from the stairs, because it wasn't safe, but I am glad I changed my mind. She has figured out her limits, and she has learned how to land without hurting herself. When we take away our kid's natural curiosity to test their limits, not only do they become afraid to try new things, but when they do, they don't always know how to do it without hurting themselves.

Sure, there are dangerous activities that I absolutely do not let my children try, but if it is something that will allow them to test their own limits, I will let them do it more times than not. I don't want my kids to grow up to be afraid to try new experiences, and I think this is a great way to get them to realize just how much they are capable of doing.