Posted on by cindyfisher

Independent Living Skills: What’s My No-Phone Backup Plan?

Parents feel better when they know their children are safe and have some skills to solve problems independently. Developing independence means that we give up a little bit of control as children grow up and attend school, participate in sports or community activities, or spend the night away from home.

 

How do you feel about your child developing independence? Are you worried that they won’t be safe?There are several steps we can take to increase our sense of safety and a maturing child’s sense of self-sufficiency.

A cellphone is a safety device since it allows immediate contact. What happens if the phone runs out of battery or your child leaves it at home?

Suggestion: Help your child write important phone numbers on a small card to keep in his or her billfold or wallet in case your child needs to borrow someone else’s phone to make a call.

  1. Have at least three people on the list.
  2. Occasionally check to see if your son/daughter remembers that it’s there by asking for one of the person’s phone numbers without using his/her phone. See if he or she remembers that the number is written on the card and can locate it.

What are some tips that you have found to be useful to develop independence?

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