
Your child likes to get things right. He knows what he’s good at, knows what he likes and likes to stick to just those things. He has a strong need to succeed and will not try something new unless he is confident that he will succeed at it or if he doesn’t have a choice but to do it (in which case he might do it, but not happily).
How Can You Help Him?
- Encourage, encourage, encourage. Remind your child of times when he succeeded at doing something new. Tell him how talented he is and how much you believe in him.
- Calm him down. Perfectionists often get uptight about new situations. Try to remain calm yourself, and set him up for success. It might be a good idea to de-clutter the work area, or to put on some soothing music. You know your child, try to do what works for him.
- At other times (not when you are sitting down to do an activity together), discuss how much you enjoy spending the time together, and how Creating Time™ activities are just the means to an end. You love him and love to have joint experiences with him, and how the end product is beside the point.