Children becomes independent depending on the type of training given to them. Kids have the ability to learn fast and rules given to them helps to mode them. For instance a child of 10months, you start nurturing him/her on how to express himself/herself anytime he needs to urinate, you could teach him to make signs and whenever the child comes to you with such sign, you will know the child wants to urinate, instead of messing up his pants. Now that's a training given to that child, so as the child keep advancing in age, he knows he shouldn't pee on his pants and knows places to get that done.

At what age do children begin to be independent?

A child could be independent from the age of 10years depending on the type of training given to the child, drawing your kids closer whenever you do some house chores, they learn from it as they watch you do them and may decide to try it one day. Kids could start by learning how to wash dishes or plates little by little they learn how to wash their clothes to ironing. It all depends on the parents and the type of training given to their kids.

Kids are conscious of their environment, you may think they don't know anything but they are fully aware of what you are doing but might not understand it at that moment. Parents should be conscious about what they say and do infront of the kids, their brains record every details of action made infront of them.