1-3 yrs · independence
When Your Child Wants to Do Everything Alone But Can't Yet
SReviewed by Sara · Montessori teacher
How do I handle it when my child wants to do things "by myself" but isn't quite able to yet?
Meet them at their level. If your child wants to get dressed on their own — start with the pants and do the rest together. If they want to chop vegetables, there are child-safe knives made just for that. If it's shoes they're after, get the process started before handing it over to them.
If there's something your child absolutely cannot do for safety reasons: explain why and say no.
Remember: change rarely happens overnight — routines need practice, and all feelings are allowed even when a behaviour needs a kind limit. Follow the child, prepare the environment, and let the child do it themselves.