Learning to let your children make mistakes

What parent doesn't want to protect their children, to see them safe, healthy and happy? Such concerns are part of our DNA, inherited from our cave dwelling ancestors and their dangerous world.

While today's kids don't need protection from saber-toothed tigers, there are still numerous ways for children to make mistakes. As parents we need to realize that some mistakes are "good mistakes," errors in decision making that may result in the wrong outcomes, but that can be valuable learning experiences for our children.

Parents always have a responsibility to try and keep truly dire, life-threaten...