Эксперт «Суперняни» Джо Фрост предупредила родителей: чрезмерная опека и отсутствие обучения терпению готовят детей к провалу в школе

Jo Frost tells parents they're 'setting kids up to struggle' if they make common error Jo Frost first found fame in the early 2000s as the no-nonsense child behaviour expert at the heart of Supernanny, stepping into frazzled family homes and helping parents regain calm with practical routines and consistent boundaries. Years on, she’s still a go-to voice for modern parenting – and she continues to share her straight-talking guidance with followers online. In a recent Instagram post, the 56-year-old urged parents to think beyond the usual school “readiness” checklist, which focuses mainly on toilet training and the ability to follow simple instructions. In addition to these basic skills, Jo said one of the most important steps is helping children learn to share. After all, they must build the social and emotional skills they’ll need in the classroom – setting them up to interact in healthy ways with teachers and classmates, manage their feelings, and navigate everyday situations with confidence. In an Instagram message aimed at mums and dads, Jo said: "Parents, this is worth listening to. You know, your child is special to you. Of course they are. But if we start teaching them that they're more special than anyone else, that's where they're going to struggle." Jo continued: "I say this because I see it. Can I ask you, do you teach your children how to lose a game? Do you teach them how to accept someone else's imaginary game at recess, even when it's not their idea? "Do you teach your child how to listen like every other child being asked to line up at school? Do you teach your child how to be sociable? Because these things don't just happen." Alarmingly, Jo has observed firsthand that children struggle to adjust to the school setting. She added: "What I'm seeing is children struggling in school with others, not because they're not capable, but because they haven't been taught how to function alongside their own peers. "How to take turns, how to wait, how to not always be in control. And that's important because your child is special to you. "But the moment we teach them without even realising that they are more special than anyone else, we're going to be setting them up to struggle big time, because school doesn't work like that. "Friendships don't work like that. Life doesn't work like that. It's give and take." Teaching children to share If you're grappling with this issue at home, there are several measures you can implement before the term begins to help your little ones adapt to sharing their environment with others. According to the parenting specialist, this means demonstrating to children that they can't always have things their way. While this might prove challenging and trigger meltdowns, it's crucial for preparing your youngsters for the future. Jo added: "So this is where you come in, in the everyday moments. Board games – let them lose. Let them follow someone else's idea in real life, expect them to listen, to line up, to take turns. "You guide it, you repeat it, you hold their expectation. Because that's how they learn and listen." You might fret that your children will throw a wobbly, but Jo reckons it's absolutely worthwhile in the long run. In fact, she maintains that establishing boundaries is vital for kids to discover their position in society and develop greater self-assurance. The Supernanny star rounded off her thoughts by saying: "Loving your child deeply – that should be a given – but loving them doesn't mean removing the lessons they need because teaching them how to exist alongside others, that's what helps them feel more confident, feel more capable and truly secure them in the world around them."