Mistakes you make against your child’s intelligence and imagination

We all want to do what’s best for our kids. We buy them toys, read them stories, and sing songs with them in hopes of teaching them about the world in ways that will help them in the future.

However, sometimes we make mistakes in how we interact with our children. For example, when it comes to their imagination, there are a few things that can be done wrong.

When they’re very young, this can put a damper on their creativity right when they’re learning to explore the possibilities of their own minds.

Luckily, there are ways you can avoid these mistakes and foster your child’s intelligence and

Focus on fostering their creativity

There are so many things for parents to worry about as they raise their children, including things that aren’t even related to what’s happening right at that moment.

For example, the battle of creativity when it comes to kids in the toddler stage is something that many parents worry about because it is a rather sensitive subject.

When you look at toddler playtime, it can be very different from adult playtime.

Most children can create a totally different world with their toys that the parents can’t see, and this can give them an entirely new perspective on reality that will stay with them as they grow older.

This is actually very important because the world has always been presented to us by the adults in our lives, and they always have an opinion about it.

Focus on fostering their creativity

By the time your child is four years old, he’s likely at the point where he can play with his toys. However, before he can start having fun with them, you need to lay the groundwork for what his toys are for.

In other words, don’t let him play with his toy phone unless he can use it to play make-believe games with imaginary people.

In the same way, do not allow your child to sit on a bench in the middle of a restaurant without helping him get up after he falls.

At his age, it’s not enough to show him how to get up, you need to help him get up. If your child is a good-natured, rational child, it will not only get him used to be able to get up from a fall, but it will help him improve his motor control.

Once you master this skill, you’ll be amazed at the things he’ll be able to do.

Don’t discourage open-ended play

As a parent, you may be trying to foster imaginative play and give your child the freedom to play with whatever they can.

However, it can easily become a discouraging situation for children when their play isn’t as directed. A great way to avoid this is to use interactive toys and creative activities to encourage open-ended play.

Don’t be afraid to share your enthusiasm for the activity that you want your child to explore and for the toys that they can use to express themselves and explore the world around them.

Don’t hide favorite toys away As your child gets older, you may be tempted to hide away toys that are no longer in favor. Don’t do this! Encourage your child to play with toys that you don’t see as often as others.

Let go of teaching and let them teach themselves

“I don’t want to be a teacher! Why should I teach my kid? He’ll never know what he’s talking about!” This is something that, often, I hear. I’m not a teacher, either.

I went to college and took a graduate-level statistics class, but I’ve never worked in the education industry.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t have any ideas of what’s best for my child, but I do try to give my child the freedom to express his or her own ideas and opinions about things.

My daughter is still learning about what she likes and dislikes. It may take some trial and error to figure this out, but she’s doing a better job of figuring it out by herself than if I was pushing her into a particular mold.

Give them time to explore

You may think you’re doing what’s best for your child by providing them with a ton of toys, books, and playthings, but you’re actually doing them a disservice.

A kid will figure out a way to be entertained without having to perform tasks. For instance, they might fold laundry or put clothes away in the hamper.

When they’re in this “play mode,” they’re free to make up games and do things that they see in the world that they want to imitate.

Content continues below ad Don’t force them to do it On the other hand, when your child is young and has a lot of toys, you may see this as an opportunity to teach him to clean up. This is a mistake.

Sure, it’s good for them to learn the value of organizing toys and keeping their rooms clean.

Keep your expectations low

The biggest mistake parents make when it comes to imagining an imaginary friend is having unrealistic expectations for a child who is so young.

They’re still very young and need you to be their primary playmate and confidant. Allowing them to have a relationship with a toy or a book or a TV show doesn’t mean they’re ready to have a close friend.

Yes, they can communicate with these characters, but imagine how your child will feel if she falls in love with a book and loses that relationship.

By getting to know a character and bonding with it, she will lose that bond. So, when it comes to a toy, do not imagine it as the friend you think it should be.

Read to them the right way As I mentioned above, not all imaginary friends are a good match for your child.