My Child Wants To Be Big - What To Do
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Little kids want to be big
This is a reality which is probably as old as mankind. 3 year olds want to be 5. 5 year olds want to be 7. Etcetera.
(This remains true until about the age of 22 when people want to be younger than they are.)
Why do little kids want to be big?
This desire is so common that understanding why it happens is pure trivia. It happens. The real questions are: Is this bad? and What to do about it?
But the reason why children want to be big is likely a combination of them:
- Mistakenly associating being big with being better at life. Big muscles may mean one is healthy, but simply having aged does not.
- Desiring the perks of being older, like: access to the snack pantry or a late bedtime.
- Imitating the people they look up to, people who are mostly bigger than them.
What is wrong with a kid wanting to be big?
Wrong is a strong word - but generally speaking, if a child is too absorbed in being bigger they:
- Won't be present in the moment.
- Won't enjoy the advantages of childhood.
- May be distraught in wanting something they have zero faculty of attaining.
How to make a child happy with being young?
Again, the desire to be big is extremely common in children. Still, you can diminish this feeling with the following methods:
- Apply age restrictions on your children sparingly. Obviously kids need limits, but think hard before you create another reason why they'd want to be big.
- Create a welcoming atmosphere for your child to feel involved, and not not-old-enough.
- Communicate with your child about the power of being present and the perks of childhood (and maybe, some of the difficulties that come with getting big).
For this last one, our book: The Book For Kids That Are Big is a perfect way to convey the lesson of enjoying childhood as a child.
