Making a Simple Repair Like Sewing a Button: Building Practical Independence in Children
Last Thursday, my 8-year-old noticed a button had fallen off her favorite sweater. She looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to fix it. Instead of immediately taking over, I remembered our family’s commitment to the Life-Ready approach. I got out a needle and thread and said, “Let me show you how to sew this back on.” The look of concentration and then pride on her face when she finished told me we had a perfect opportunity to practice practical repair skills in a low-stakes environment. ...