“He grows timid and indecisive…”

“We live in a time when victories and achievements are extremely valued: you need to be athletic, active, successful. There is no leniency towards the one who doubts, looks closely before starting to act. Parental experiences on this topic often begin with the physical (in)decisiveness of the child. He (she) refuses to go down a steep hill and has never put on his skates? For you, this is annoying, and you, most likely, are a little ashamed. And yet it is better to leave aside parental pride. Forget the fearless child you probably were. And do not think that someone will judge you because your son or daughter does not dare to jump off the springboard. The child is afraid of danger, which means that he is not yet ready to face it. Perhaps tomorrow he will jump easily, because he will physically mature and become more confident in himself. Do not put pressure on the child, on the contrary, support him and protect him when necessary. Take it for granted that he is not as mobile and a little more timid than others. Encourage his success, emphasize the dignity. Comfort if peers laugh at him. He does not like sports games, but he draws well, he is afraid to swim, but he plays chess with interest. Children who are not very dexterous physically have other abilities not so valued in the world of “competitors”, but no less important – the powers of observation, the ability to listen and reflect, which are necessary in order to create relationships with people and feel the emotional fullness of their lives. In the end, nothing prevents you from teaching your child to swim or ride a bike, so that, gradually getting acquainted with the risk, he is imbued with confidence in his abilities and spends time with you in an atmosphere of pleasure, and not the struggle for achievements.