How To Encourage To Be Brave?

DS is very cautious in general. We generally go to a playground every evening which has slides and walking over the hanging bridge etc. If we go to the playground after a gap of few days (either bcoz they were sick or weather not permitting), he sits and crawls on the hanging bridge. I need to keep telling him to try and keep my hand behind him to let him know that mummy will take care of him. After some warm up he gains the confidence and starts walking. The slides and the hanging bridge are appropriate for their age.

I am not able to understand why he needs that retraining? Is there any way I can boost his confidence when he tries the first time itself?

DD is totally opposite. She is very daring and at times I am worried that she will have more bumps. They are so different in their personalities .

Note : My B/G twins are 25 months old. I am yet to learn on how to create a ticker.

 

My DD Brooke can be real timid also. She was scared to death of playing in our back yard on the swingset because a neighbor was cutting the grass (accross the street, she could even see them, just hear them). What I have done is let her take it at her pace, but when she does get braver, I go out of my way to really praise her for it. It seems to have really helped her lately. The other day she actually stayed outside while someone nearby was cutting lawn, but she was constantly looking around to make sure it wasn't coming near us. Hopefully with the better weather coming with spring, he'll get more use to it, and it will become second nature.

 

I really would not worry about it. Just keep doing what you are with helping him each time until he gets his confidence back. Also, like the pp mentioned praise him and talk about how big and clever he is going across the bridge. Sooner or later he will just take off without you straight away.

 

I think you're doing the right thing. Keep encouraging him and telling him he can do it, but make sure he knows you are there for him and won't force him into anything he's not ready for. I haven't had this experience yet with mine, but I was a super-cautious (one might say fraidycat) child myself, and that is what I responded best to. More than anything I hated being pushed into doing things when I didn't feel safe.

 

We have one cautious one (Hannah) and one fearless one (Ben) when it comes to the playground! I thank my lucky stars though because I certainly could not handle two little daredevils at once!

I agree with the pp's to praise and encourage. But beyond that, there is only so much you can do. Part of that is just who they are as little people I believe.

 

Thanks ladies for the suggestions.

I do praise him every time he does it by himself. He tells me 'Mummy I can do' when he accomplishes it alone. May be it is his personality. Just wanted to confirm that I wasn't doing any thing wrong.

Kate, my twins share the same birthday as yours.