The parenting culture of India is very different from the west. The kids are spoilt with choices and are pampered irrespective to the families being rich or not. Only 40% of Indian families have set their 18-year-olds free. According to a psychological study, the major reasons of immediate divorces or depression is because the son/ daughter has never experienced a lifestyle without their parents and hence, it’s been difficult for them to adjust with a whole bunch of new people. Either they were too stubborn to compromise because their parents were always around or dealing with critical circumstances have been impossible to balance because they never had an exposure.
Being supportive as a parent is important but it’s also important for the son/daughter to understand what it is to take decisions and find ways to balance things. And, no matter how heart-breaking it is to separate yourself from your child who’s grown right in front you, here’s why you should let it happen:
1. To Increase Mental and Emotional Strength
It’s going to be his/her first time to be around people they’ve not known. To be aware of the fact that whatever they do or say, they’re not going to have any adult supervision. Getting homesick is going to take place but also, how to fight through it is what they’re going to figure out. This will strengthen them mentally and emotionally.
2. To Let Them Understand the Value of Money
When your child passes high school and moves away from home to study, their budget of expenditure will automatically limit. They have to learn to save because there’s rent, electricity bills, daily travel and food as regular expenses. They also need to save for emergency.
3. To Have a Sense of Responsibility
House doors, windows, cupboards, and gas line must be locked every time you leave the house or go to bed. Being home on time knowing new city areas might not be very safe always. To understand who to trust and who not to, when it comes to new people. To understand the culture and rules of a residential place, to understand that a house needs maintenance despite of you being on rent! All of this comes to them automatically once you leave them.
4. To Let them Learn How to Cook
Relying on junk for years is never a solution. It’s expensive and dangerous. And, they are not going to have parents around who will keep their dinner/lunch ready. They have to make themselves the regular stuff as time passes by.
5. To Become a Decision Maker
Living alone matures a person and allows them to make a choice for themselves. The whole point of “What am I supposed to do next” for basic things goes away. Things like, maids for cleaning if the schedule is too tight, choosing clothes without your parents’ opinion, figuring out ways to call the plumber, electrician, etc. for home fixes; they have to decide all on their own.
6. Importance of Being Street Smart
Right https://media.giphy.com/media/l1J9Oc2lQJjm4s3FC/giphy.giffrom dressing, travelling, buying stuff at a bargained price to using maps to reach somewhere, conversing with people, meeting strangers and tackling issues, everything will come to them gradually.
7. To make Choices for Their Own Good
Every step they take is going to be a life-test. Smoking, drinking, partying, getting friends home, chilling, etc. these are the most common things that your child will be exposed to. To get involved in it is going to be by choice. Everything done in limit will never harm anyone. They should know it. And, they have to understand that they should only get into it if their conscious allows them to.
8. And Understand the Value of Your Presence
once you distance them from you, it will only get them closer. Meeting your loved ones after a long break brings more happiness. They will not skip dinner or lunch with you. Make sure they make the most of home and parents every time they’re home during their breaks. And, value your presence. The random fights always come to an end. The gap between is always filled with understanding.
9. To Know That Every Mistake is a Lesson
They are bound to make mistakes. Some could be minor, some could be major. But they will. You’re not human if you don’t make one. It’s very important for them to go down once. A failure will motivate them to get better in life. And, every mistake made will be a lesson. That’s how they’ll learn to live a life.
10. It Motivates Them to be Independent
Things get clear when they realize that you’re doing everything to make them happy. You’re working hard to educate them and get better. And, they’ll know living on their parents’ money is limited. They can’t live on it forever. This motivates them to have a goal and work hard for it. It self realization comes to them where they have to be strong and motivated everyday to have a better life ahead.
