Parent's Perspective: Choices, decisions, and fairness
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - We can sometimes get overwhelmed by all the decisions we have to make throughout the day.
Learning how to make decisions on the big and small stuff starts when we're young.
When it comes to being the parent of a toddler, something as simple as getting them dressed can be a decision nightmare.
For something like this, I reached out to Patricia Stanko with the Montessori school "Peace, Love, and Learning."
This whole story started from a marital dispute about giving open-ended options or two choices when it came it outfits in the morning but spilled into a larger debate about what truly is the best approach.
Patricia said two options are best in most situations and that giving kids too many options can be overwhelming and puts too much pressure on them.
She added that once you've presented the two choices - stick to the plan. Your children can count on you to mean what you say and stick to it. Don't offer a third choice if your child can't choose.
Also, parents need to be aware of what they're offering, for instance, shoes if it's raining. If you know that rain boots are the best option, don't offer up a second choice of sandals.
Games can also be a fun way to help kids develop the skill of making decisions.
Patricia's last piece of advice is to be mindful of offering a group of children two choices. Doing that will lead to one child being overruled, so having a routine to settle the dispute is needed. That can be anything from taking turns or picking out of a hat, which makes it feel fairer.