Taking care of your child is a wonderful, life-changing process. There is so much to learn from this after you become a parent. You watch your child grow up and you guide them step by step from day one. However, there comes a time when your little one starts developing their sense of independence. For most parents, this moment is completely puzzling. But it shouldn’t, no matter how young your kid is, once they become more independent, it’s time to gradually grant them a bit of privacy. Here is how.
Why kids need privacy too?
Every self-conscious individual has the right to privacy and children become aware of their individuality and what sets them apart from others at a very young age. As they grow and start going to kindergarten and school, kids embark on the life-long journey of self-discovery. By socializing and comparing themselves to other children, they start developing a sense of who they are and what they want to become. All these happen gradually and while your child may barely be a toddler today, you won’t even feel how fast time goes by until they reach school age, and they start yearning for more privacy.
Get ready to meet this natural need your child will surely have later in life by slowly granting them independence starting now. Young children often express their need for privacy too when they choose to play alone, shy away from adults, or express the desire to have a private space of their own. All these things shouldn’t take you aback, you most probably behave the same when you were their age. If your kid seems to rush on their journey to independence, here are a few tips to grant them more privacy.
Follow your kid’s lead
Most children are quite decisive when it comes to their wants and needs, especially when they are very young and they simply ask for anything their heart desires. They will surely do the same when they start becoming more independent and need more space of their own. Don’t fret when this moment comes, try to accept this normal step in their evolution and find ways to meet their need without losing your peace of mind.
If your little one suddenly becomes more eager to play on their own or do certain things without your help, take a step back and let them materialize this wish while supervising them from a distance to make sure they are safe. Don’t worry, they will come back to you for praise and hugs the moment they get bored of being alone.
Build a special place for their privacy needs
This is one of the most important things you can do for your kid as they start developing a sense of independence – grant them a place where they can enjoy their privacy. While it is not always possible to let your child have their own room as they might need to share it with a sibling, there are other ways to help them enjoy privacy.
For example, you can allocate a particular part of the house or their room to playtime or study. That should be their own private area where they can store their toys, games or books and indulge in their favorite activities. Let them personalize that place according to their tastes and, if re-decorating part of your home to this purpose is too much, opt for a hassle-free method like getting them a separate desk, or drawers that they alone are entitled to use or a teepee tent for kids.
These items are specially designed for children’s privacy needs. Whether your kid likes to play with friends or alone, or simply rest, they can do this in a teepee tent without feeling that an adult is always watching them. All the while, most teepees are provided with windows. This way, even if your little one closes the door you can still glance inside every now and then to check that they’re ok. Teepee tents are a great method to make both hands meet: on the one hand your little one’s sense of independence finds a place to manifest itself, on the other, you still have them near and are able to constantly check up on them.
Set some boundaries
Encouraging your child to discover themselves and grow more independent from an early age can bring great benefits later in life. While some children are more eager to grow up, others may need to be steered in this direction. Regardless of the group your kid fits in, once they take their first steps towards conquering their privacy, it’s also necessary to set some rules. Many of these will go both ways.
For example, if your kid demands that you let them spend time alone in their room without interfering, it might be useful to set a simple rule that will allow you to respect this right to privacy – knocking on the door. This way, if you have something you really need to tell your kid, you can first ask their permission, instead of invading their space.
Conversely, they should understand that you also have the same right as an adult and use the same approach when they want to disturb you. Also, it’s good to let your kid know that although they’re starting to grow and you agree to let them enjoy some level of privacy, you are still responsible for their safety and well-being and they aren’t allowed to and shouldn’t hide important things from you.
Children grow up so fast, maybe too fast if you ask some parents. While they’ll always remain your little baby girl or boy, you should accept the idea that one day they’ll become grown-ups. Get ready to embrace this change step by step by allowing them to enjoy privacy and become more independent even now when they might not be able to tie their laces yet. Also, don’t forget that we can help you with that magical place your child would definitely want to have as their own – the teepee tent.
Contact us if you’re thinking about buying a teepee for your kid and we’ll tell you more about this item and its advantages.