When your children play and explore their world, it helps them develop skills. It’s important for them to do this on their own sometimes, without you always watching over them.

Creating a home setting that is safe is important, not only for your child’s sake, but for yours as well. When you put knives out of reach, lock away chemicals and medicine or give your child a helmet for bike riding or skateboarding, you’re allowing yourself to relax a little. You’re not going to be always looking out for potential dangers or yelling, “Don’t touch that!”

Also, be sure to give your child lots of interesting things to do. This doesn’t mean you have to buy all the latest, most expensive toys. But if you have a variety of playthings, crafts and activities to keep your child busy and active, you’ll see that your children are less likely to become bored and misbehave.