Raising a child is no easy feat. Whatever method of parenting you choose, everyone has the same motive in common—we want what is best for our children.
We want to help them learn, develop, and grow into well rounded, functional adults as best as we can. One of the ways in which you can achieve this is with scaffolding parenting. So, what exactly is this technique? How does it benefit our children? And how can we implement it in our lives?
What Is Scaffolding Parenting?
Scaffolding parenting is a type of parenting technique that helps children learn new ideas and information beyond what they already know. The term scaffolding is used as it refers to the construction of a building.
When you think of a building, scaffolding is used to raise the building and make it stronger and higher. In this sense, scaffolding parenting is utilized to help children reach new heights, learning new things that they would not necessarily be able to by themselves. You are building them up and helping them develop.
As a scaffolding parent, you will be the foundation and the framework around your child that will help to guide them as they grow. The main points of scaffolding parenting are support, structure, and encouragement. You’re there as a role model to support your child and offer them encouragement through constructive criticism and feedback, while boosting self-esteem.
Benefits of Scaffolding Parenting
Scaffolding parenting is all about building a bridge between your child’s existing knowledge/skills and new knowledge/skills. This way, your child can work upon themselves and pick up new skills at the same time.
Some benefits of scaffolding are that it:
- Motivates children to learn things themselves
- Encourages discovery
- Increases ability to learn new concepts
- Improves independence
- Provides support and care
- Helps children learn to control their own actions
- Reduces anxiety and uncertainty
- Improves engagements with learning
- Minimizes frustration
- Children are more active in their own education
In addition to this, scaffolding parenting is particularly beneficial for children who suffer from anxiety, ADHD, or autism disorders, because they are given encouragement and extra support to limit meltdowns, fears, and uncertainty.
Examples of Scaffolding Parenting
If you would like to try out scaffolding parenting for yourself, then there are a few tips you should know about. First, you will need to provide a good model for your children. You have to be a role model and you have to actively demonstrate skills for your child to emulate and comprehend them better.
You will also need to describe new skills and concepts in a variety of ways, as one single way may not be how your child grasps the concept. You should also slow down when teaching your child new things, and offer short, mini-lessons to help them digest new information.
Visual aids can also be beneficial, and you will want to break down larger, more complex tasks into small steps, allowing your child to make decisions and discoveries for themselves. In addition to this, you need to encourage them to activate prior knowledge that they have in addition to new things they are learning.
Finally, remember to be encouraging and supportive. This doesn’t mean that you always tell them they are right. This also means giving constructive feedback and helping them progress.
Scaffolding parenting is a relatively new term, but the concept is one that all parents can get on board with. You are the scaffolding around the building and your child is the building. You are there to support them and help them reach new heights by developing their skills and knowledge.
If you ever need extra support and guidance yourself as a parent, speak to a counselor that can offer tips for parenting and advice to help you remain calm and the role model your child needs. We are here to support you with family counseling when you are ready to contact us.
