The fruit-juice or a can of Pepsi? The book or the laptop? Playing a video-game or reading a book? What will your child choose? Weighing the pros and cons of a choice, looking at the benefits and repercussions is something that even adults struggle with, but when it comes to making small decisions, children need to feel secure and empowered to make a decision critically. At this young age, kindergarten children need to understand right from wrong based on the concept of action-result and not out of fear as it would only serve in the short-term.
According to a study that we conducted, it was found that 76% of the children aged 3-6 years differentiate right from wrong and practice the theory as well.
Understanding right from wrong will empower your child to walk away from bad influences and become more aware of his/her surroundings. This will also help your child make good decisions and learn new skills like being more patient and more aware, which will help him/her make more friends.
When a child understands right from wrong:
- Concepts of “stranger danger” and “good touch and bad touch” will be easily grasped, which is extremely vital to his/her well-being
- Home is a little more peaceful when your child doesn’t throw a tantrum for every small decision. He/she knows what’s healthy and are at peace with himself/herself
- He/she will be motivated to learn new skills and takes the lead in various group activities, thereby enhancing his/her social skills
- He/she may feel confident to take the lead at problem-solving, thereby boosting his/her academic skills as well
Children who find it hard to differentiate between right and wrong might find it difficult to take up responsibilities of any sort, as they are unsure about themselves. They may also face emotional ups and downs and may have fits of rage more often.
What can you do to help your child choose the right thing?
Here’s a parenting tip – Ask your child to list down the activities that he/she prefers doing and also the other important activities that need to be finished. Now, ask them to explain how they can be connected together with examples. For example, the child can say that he/she wants to listen to music and watch TV. But, also has a project to finish as tomorrow is the deadline. This will gently nudge your child to think about his/her decisions, actions and choose the right thing for him/her on his/her own.
Download the Mai app to improve your child’s analytical thinking and also assess your child’s skill in causal reasoning and recalling info.