How Soon is Too Soon?
It’s a question that I ask myself all the time as a father. In regards to many topics, parents often wonder how soon is too soon. Teaching certain things too soon can be problematic, however teaching things too late can be impossible. Children have better capacity for learning at younger ages, however we struggle with determining whether they understand the nuance. Can they make proper decisions and judgements based on each situation, rather than applying the same solution to each situation.
Ironically, security is a topic that I wonder about when it comes to parenting. How can you teach a child security without ruining childhood. A large part of the magic of childhood is the worry free lifestyle. Security is unfortunately a worrisome topic. Truthfully, there’s probably no good answer to how soon is too soon. Each child is different, each scenario is different, and ultimately as parents we should use our best judgements.
As a concerned parent that will likely always be concerned, I plan to teach my child security in ways that cause as little worry as possible. Teach them how to lock a door when you leave the house as a routine that is less about stopping some criminal from breaking in, and more about it being a good habit in general. We can discuss in depth about the bad guys that exist in the world at a later date when I feel as though the discussion will not cause paralyzing paranoia.
Until then, hopefully my child enjoys a wonderful worry-free childhood.