Letter: Let kids grow at own pace

Dear Editor, Some parents might want their child to grow up to the next stage of development quickly but it's not possible to get a child to progress to a new stage of development before he or she is ready.

According to experts, development can differ by weeks or even months among children of the same age. They say that  as long as the child progresses and develops new skills as time goes on, he or she is fine, even if he or she skips a step.        

For example, some parents often compare their children to themselves when they were at that age. When the child is not able to do something  the parent may say “when I was your age I was doing this and that.”

Some parents compare siblings which breeds jealousy between them.

Also, parents often manipulate children to make choices that they (parents) prefer, having no regard for what the child really wants.

Parents have to bear in mind that children are programmed to learn and grow at an appropriate pace. Therefore, a parent’s job is to nurture, encourage and provide a serene environment to enable the child to achieve his or her dreams.

It is important for parents to stop comparing siblings because children are like fingerprints - no two are the same.

Gedalia Allotey,
All Saints Basic School,
Accra.