Autonomy is the ability to make decisions without external influence. This process grants freedom to the human being and is necessary to achieve complete development.
The concept of autonomy seems very clear to adults, but perhaps less so to children and babies, whom we often continue to treat with some condescension and offer an excessively protective environment, when the most appropriate thing is to provide them with a greater degree of freedom so they can develop their abilities without external intervention.
Even the youngest babies are capable of doing many things on their own — of course, parental supervision is always necessary.
Measuring children’s autonomy
Autonomy is measured by observing the necessary tasks for the development of babies and children, including aspects such as eating habits, personal hygiene, and rest. In the early years of life, and also later, adults should observe children and guide them but not interfere with their behavior or treat them as incapable beings.
Assimilating appropriate habits and behaviors in eating, hygiene, rest, and also mobility is essential so they gain responsibility. Babies and children should be able from early stages to be full rights holders who also have capacities and responsibilities, and with good habits and effort, they can achieve their goals.
However, to achieve these objectives, it is important that children develop in an adequate emotional and physical environment. Adults must have
good communication with children, respect their rhythms, accompany and care for them, but this accompaniment should serve as guidance, not imposition.
Children’s autonomy and eating habits
Eating is a very appropriate process to teach babies and children correct behavior habits because it is a routine activity. Therefore, it is important that children wash their hands before and after eating, use a napkin to clean themselves, learn to use utensils, chew food well, respect the food of their classmates if they eat in daycare or school cafeterias, and, of course, help with cleaning up.
Regarding eating habits and autonomy, experts differentiate children’s ages. Between 2 and 4 years is the perfect time for children to start eating alone, and it is also the time for them to learn they must clean themselves if they get dirty.
From 3 to 6 years, being a bit older, they should learn to use a knife and fork (it is the adults’ responsibility to monitor which knives they use), clean themselves, and help set and clear the table. In any case, advice from Madre Millennial can be very useful to help children in this task, especially at younger ages.
Rest: How much should children sleep in early childhood?
In the first weeks of life, babies may sleep an average of 15 to 16 hours a day, distributed between night and day naps, waking up in the middle to eat. As they grow, these periods decrease, and total rest time also shortens. On the other hand, awakenings may increase as the baby becomes more aware of the surrounding world, and their growing brain undergoes changes influencing sleep patterns.
Experts recommend that the baby stays in the same room as the mother at least until six months, and if possible, until one year of age. The move to their own bed could be made between two and three years old, although this should always depend on the child, since each one develops differently and not all are ready at that age. From this age until four years old is also when the child begins to wake without crying, learns to say goodbye before sleeping, and acquires different notions.
With more maturity, between 3 and 6 years old, they start to understand the importance of respecting the rest of family members, dress and undress themselves, and begin to take care of their own bed.
Hygiene and care of their own body
A third group of habits that help children gain autonomy and better know their body and learn to behave in society is hygiene. Starting at about 2 years, children can begin to use the bathroom, wash and dry their hands, ask for help cleaning if they are dirty, and therefore differentiate between being clean and dirty. Potty training is important, as stopping diaper use is a process of complete maturation, requiring neurological and physical readiness, which happens at different rates for each child.
As they grow and mature, they become aware that after
using the bathroom they must clean themselves, and during bathing, they need to soap, rinse, and dry themselves, blow their nose, practice oral hygiene, and keep clean the spaces they use.
These habits and many others must be encouraged by adults, who should act as guides, caregivers, and companions.
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Autonomy is the ability to make decisions without external influence. This process grants freedom to the human being and is necessary to achieve complete development.
