Katlego Sekhu
Christine Carrig Gregor-Harlen, an experienced Montessori educator and administrator in the United States, recently shared her insights on the negative impact of giving children too many choices. She referred to this phenomenon as “decision fatigue.”
To delve into the importance of cultivating a culture of good decision-making in kids, 959 Breakfast spoke with parental coach and teacher Susan Gregor-Harlen.
Gregor-Harlen pointed out that giving children too many choices at a young age is overwhelming for them, as they do not have the emotional or mental capacity to make those choices.
“What then happens is that parents tend to elevate the child to adult status,” she said. “You balance this by knowing where your child is mentally. Gentle parenting: parents tend to do the gentle side of parenting, and they don’t realise that there is another side to that gentle parenting. When you give your child so many options and choices, you must remember that there are consequences.”
So how can parents approach this delicate situation? “When it comes to primary school kids, they can make decisions about their basic needs. For example, do you want to play cricket this term? ‘Yes, I do’. Okay, but then you must understand that you go to the end of the term; you don’t give up halfway. Okay, mommy, that’s the deal.
“So you’ve told them the consequences, so when they get to the teenage stage, you now start wanting to open your eyes to life,” said Gregor-Harlen.
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