Parenting Tactic - Free will

Cline and Fay note that God gave all humans - His supreme creation - considerable freedom....including the opportunity to goof up. Failure and success are two sides of the same coin. If there had been no forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, humanity would have had no opportunity to make responsible or irresponsible choices. When Adam and Eve made the wrong choice, God allowed them to suffer the consequences. Although He did not approve of their disobedience, He loved them enough to let them make a decision and to live with the results. God's love in the garden sets the example for all parents to follow: He allowed Adam and Eve the freedom to make the choice. In a similar way, if we give children freedom and loving acceptance, they will make choices and do things of which we will not approve. Jim Fay says he used to insist that his son Charlie dress for the weather on chilly mornings. Charlie, he'd say, it's cold out this morning. You'd better wear your heavy coat. Sure enough, he'd grab his little slicker - the lightest coat he owned - and waltz out the door. Unwittingly, Fay was taking away Charlie's best choice. Fay thought he was ensuring Charlie would be warm waiting for the bus but Charlie chose to be cold instead. He was exerting his free will. But Fay wised up by saying instead; Charlie, it's twenty degrees out. You might want  to wear a coat. This offered him a range of choices from worst to best. Kids always seem to discount the first option we give them. Charlie ultimately decided to exert his free will with a warm coat. The paradox is that parents who try to ensure their kids successes often raise unsuccessful kids. But the loving and concerned parents who allow for failure wind up with kids who tend to choose success. These are the parents who take thoughtful risks. Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? If you agree what are some small, thoughtful risks you can take this week in allowing your kids to exercise their free will and train them in making good choices?