Don’t say No. Instead build towards it.

Visit any park with toddlers and pre-schoolers, and you’ll often hear, “Don’t do that.” We’ve observed parents telling kids not to jump off a table barely 3 feet high, not to use knives, climb trees, dig in the mud, or run too quickly. Decades ago, we played outside with our friends, no parents watching over us. Nowadays, we tend to hover over our children, letting our fears and anxieties affect them.

We suggest a different approach. Let kids be kids. Encourage them to jump, climb, and even fall. The key is to prevent lasting harm. Anything less teaches them valuable lessons, allowing them to discover and grow.

If we’re worried, we should invest time and effort to teach them how to manage situations. Start by showing toddlers how to cut soft fruits like bananas with dull knives. Each year, gradually introduce more challenges.