*This is a collaborative post.
The ability to overcome problems isn’t something we’re born with, it’s something we must learn. As a parent, one of your responsibilities is to help your child learn how to solve problems in a healthy and successful manner, so that they are comfortable doing so when you are not around to save the day. I have teamed up with a private school in East Sussex to share some advice on how you can teach your child to become a better problem solver.
Be A Good Role Model
The best thing you can do for your child when teaching them something is to demonstrate that behaviour yourself, so that they can learn from the best. In other words, if you model successful problem-solving skills, your child will follow suit. When dealing with an issue, talk to your child about how you are working through the motions to resolve it. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed, try to shield your child from this as they will think that is an appropriate way to react to a problem.
Identify The Problem
Your child will struggle to solve a problem if they don’t really understand what the problem is in the first place. So, start by helping them identify problems, simply by stating them out loud. For example, they might be feeling overwhelmed by the decision of which subjects they are going to study at A Level. Try to narrow down the problem further by stating the facts, such as “you are struggling to pick between Chemistry and Physics because you enjoy both of them”. Once you’ve identified the specific problem, it will be easier to determine a solution.
Talk Through Different Solutions
Help your child understand that when faced with a problem, there is often more than one way around it. Encourage them to come up with multiple different ideas of how they could handle the issue, and then talk through the pros and cons of each. Once they realise that there are multiple ways to deal with something, they will likely feel instantly more comfortable with the situation because it will feel less doom and gloom.
Be Patient
Becoming a great problem solver isn’t something that will happen overnight, and your child will make mistakes. With that said, try and be patient with them. Give them the chance to figure things out and don’t be hard on them if they are unable to successfully solve every single problem they are faced with.
