Quick Click: 6 Ways to Stay Engaged While Letting Go

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• Take the gradual approach. For example, when you first allow your child to spend unsupervised time with friends, drop him off and pick him up.
  
  
• Don't be nosy. Be curious and interested in what goes on in your absence, but don't be too intrusive.
  
  
• Encourage self-expression. Allow your child to challenge you and assert herself sometimes. She'll then be more likely to do the same with friends, if they go too far.
  
  
• Preserve family time. The more independent your child becomes, the more important it is to make time to eat, talk, and have fun together as a family.
  
  
• Discuss "What if ...?" scenarios. Talking about how to handle scary or uncomfortable situations ahead of time helps children know what to do when confronted with the real thing.
  
  
• Be supportive. Try not to be critical when your child misjudges something. Mistakes are a necessary part of learning.

—Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer

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