Slow Down: 5 Things You Don’t Need To Rush Your Children Into

Parents often say how quickly their children grow up, but never stop to really think about how it's our choices for our children that aid in them growing up too quickly. Here are 5 ways that you might be helping your children to grow up too quickly:

1. Piercing her ears as a baby

While it might not seem like such a big deal and they do look awfully cute, you are actually robbing your children of not only the choice but the chance to come and ask you for them when they are five or eight or ten. So while you might want your little baby girl to have pretty diamonds in her ears, wait and let her come to you and share the moment with her.

2. Deciding she needs a cell phone

Twenty years ago children didn't need cell phones. Everyone managed to get along just fine. While people seem to be busier these days and running in a million different directions, a child doesn't need a cell phone when she's in elementary school. Children need things to look forward to. If they are given everything before they are 10, there's not much left to look forward to.

3. Deciding what she wants to be

Children will change their minds a million times about what they want to be when they grow up. Don't try to force them into deciding so that you can supply them with everything they'll need to succeed. Your child might decide when she's 10 that she is determined to become a doctor. By the time she is 16 that may wear off. Don't be surprised if it does. Some children might know their plan for life young, but don't rush your child into making life decisions so young.

4. Watching TV that is too mature for her

Television is very different from when we were young. Shows for children seem to be full of characters with snotty attitudes that rub off on our children. Instead of exposing her to things she's not ready for, purchase or borrow DVDs from the library. This way you can be confident that she's watching age appropriate shows. You may also be interested in exposing her to the good old classics, which were pretty safe for the whole family to watch.

5. Letting her wear makeup

If you've been on the grounds of an elementary school lately, you know that it's not uncommon for girls to be wearing makeup. Whether they have their parents approval or not, it's important that you don't let your daughter rush into this. Instead of letting her get into makeup all at once, decide on little things she can start with, like clear lip gloss at a certain age. As she gets older she can add new things into the mix. She'll always have something to look forward to, instead of getting it all at once.

Children don't need to be given everything they want exactly when they want it. Part of being a kid is looking forward to these milestones. While many children might be missing out on looking forward to things these days, yours don't have to. They'll appreciate them more if they have to wait a bit. And who knows, they may even thank you for it one day.