BeingKind

Let a child help badly

Doing it yourself is faster every single time, and the accumulated effect of that is a teenager who cannot cook.

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Why it lands

Every instance of taking over is individually rational — it is quicker, neater and less stressful. The cost is invisible because it is entirely cumulative: competence only comes from being allowed to do things badly for a long time. Children read being taken over from as a verdict on their capability, and by adolescence many have concluded they are no good at practical things.

How

Pick tasks where bad execution does not matter much and budget the extra time before you start. Let the result be wonky and eat it anyway. Resist correcting technique mid-task; say it afterwards or not at all.

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