Give The Kids a Chance

I am a pretty relaxed parent. Preferring the kids to make their own small mistakes and learning from them. I do not hover around them watching their every move and dictating what they should and shouldn't do constantly. By no means do my kids run amok, but they have proper rules and boundaries for their lives. We teach them respect for other people and property, and we do not always get it right and our kids are not always following these rules and boundaries but that is what learning is about.

So with giving them this freedomt to play and learn I also give them freedom to explore things which are not usual kid domain. Like film and photography. Both kids have used a digital film camera and SLR camera. Both have used sharp knives to cut food and by eldest can plunge a coffee and make it just how I like it. Both know how to operate the washing machine and load and empty it. Having these skills I can see their confidence grow and their constant curiosity being fulfilled.

I allow my bigger kids to use my camera. I teach them how to be safe with it and give them an appropriate boundary for my 4 year old I have to remind her to stay near me in the front yard. Teaching them how to use the SLR camera gives them confidence and skills. They learn about light and focus. The learn composition and balance when they are taking a photo. They learn respect for anthers property and above all they take some pretty cool photographs. Below are some taken by my daughter who is 4.