Sometimes, you need to let kids figure out how to solve problems, or suffer the consequences of their decisions, all on their own.
That’s according to psychiatrist and bestselling author Daniel Amen. Parents too often make the mistake of “overdoing” for their kids, resulting in “mentally weak children,” Amen told the “Built Different” podcast, in an episode that aired on Tuesday.
Such behaviors — like doing your kid’s class project yourself to help them get a better grade, or giving them what they want solely to halt an oncoming tantrum — limit children’s mental resilience and sense of independence, said Amen. And highly resilient kids are more likely to become happy, successful adults, research shows.