Everyone stands at a different spot when it comes to risky behavior. I'm a true scaredy cat so I stand far at the side of no risk when it comes to those seemingly life threatening feats such as climbing steep cliffs, wandering down dark alleys, and venturing forth on journeys that require great financial risk. I'm okay with small risks that strengthen your professional abilities or develop what you can do for your family, but I steer clear of risks that involve a high probability of failure or potential death.
Some children are also clearly scaredy cats who don't want to risk often if at all. We may find ourselves helping children like that to risk a little more, and then there are those children who rarely worry about climbing to the top of the tree, hanging from a mountain top, or getting involved in other dangerous scenarios--scenarios that may involve extreme parties, relationships, substances and more. As parents, most of us worry about those extreme circumstances because we have seen too often where those kinds of risks can take a person and know that sometimes those extreme risks have lifelong consequences. For example there have been sad deaths related to drownings after drinking, car accidents due to substance abuse, and risky relationships. No one wants their child or any child they know to face these kinds of consequences.
So how do we support positive risk while helping our children and others' children avoid risks with little or no return? What can we do?
This is an area I am not an expert at--an area that I have a lot to learn about, but for starters, I'd say we can do the following:
Some children are also clearly scaredy cats who don't want to risk often if at all. We may find ourselves helping children like that to risk a little more, and then there are those children who rarely worry about climbing to the top of the tree, hanging from a mountain top, or getting involved in other dangerous scenarios--scenarios that may involve extreme parties, relationships, substances and more. As parents, most of us worry about those extreme circumstances because we have seen too often where those kinds of risks can take a person and know that sometimes those extreme risks have lifelong consequences. For example there have been sad deaths related to drownings after drinking, car accidents due to substance abuse, and risky relationships. No one wants their child or any child they know to face these kinds of consequences.
So how do we support positive risk while helping our children and others' children avoid risks with little or no return? What can we do?
This is an area I am not an expert at--an area that I have a lot to learn about, but for starters, I'd say we can do the following:
- Introduce those risk takers to entertainment and endeavor that provides the thrill and excitement of risk without the life threatening danger. For example arduous journeys such as mountain climbs, canoe trips, and travel can be thrilling, but when well prepared those journeys are rarely threatening.
- Educate children about dangerous risk taking especially risk taking related to risky relationships, substance abuse, fights and violence, and likely accidents. Read them the stories in the paper, show them the stats, and provide alternatives. For example so many that enjoy drinking today use Uber rather than driving after drinking--that's life saving.
- Make time to discuss risky behavior regularly whether your children engage in it or not--it's important that they have a chance to learn about this before temptation comes their way.
Risky behavior is frightening to parents who desire long, happy, and healthy lives for their children, and rather than just cross your fingers and hope it doesn't happen, it's best to meet it head on. Do you agree? What would you add to this discussion?