Raising Critical Thinkers: Teaching Problem-Solving Skills at Home
Problem-solving is a lucrative executive function skill, and one that we are taught from an early age. As we get older, the obstacles, decisions and problems that we face become more complicated, and with that, our problem-solving skills need to adapt, strengthen and grow with us!
Teaching effective problem-solving strategies to our kids is not a one size fits all approach – there are a variety of strategies that can be successful, and may look different between the individuals in our household. The ultimate end goal is to ensure our kids are equipped with the skills they need to effectively problem-solve on their own, not for the strategies to look the same.
Can you relate to any of the following scenarios?
Does your child sometimes experience negative feelings of avoidance and frustration when faced with a problem or obstacle?
If your child comes to you with a problem, does it take maximum effort for a solution to be determined?
Are there times when it seems easier to solve the problem on behalf of your child?
No fear – you are not alone! We are going to take a look at solution-oriented problem-solving strategies to help your kids problem solve their way to their own lightbulb moments 💡
Ask Questions to Help Build Their Critical Thinking Skills
It can certainly be challenging to come up with the “right” questions to ask your kid(s) in the heat of a moment – there are certain questions that can help model the importance of using one’s own critical thinking skills when faced with a dilemma or difficult problem.
Consider asking:
“What do you think might happen if…?”
“How else could we solve this?” and/or
“How might we avoid this issue in the future?”
Giving kids the space and opportunity to process, apply their own reason + logic, and come to their own conclusions = priceless.
Find a Happy Medium
Determine the right balance for your kid(s) between telling them what to do when faced with a decision or obstacle, and letting them figure the path out on their own, with your guided help.
Conduct a brainstorm together on the possible solutions they could choose.
Encourage creativity, open dialogue & confidence in their ideas
Role-play how their generated solutions could play out.
Reinforce being adaptable + flexible if their solution to the problem needs to be changed or adjusted.
Knowing that they have your support on stand-by while they practice their decision-making and problem-solving skills = sweet spot for self-regulation + independence.
Guide + Model
If your child starts to experience a meltdown or shut down emotionally, assure them what they are feeling is normal – facing problems and making decisions is a tough job for anyone!
Knowing they are valid in their feelings, but seeing how you keep a level head is a valuable teachable moment.
Give your child(ren) the opportunity to observe you in your own problem-solving process
If there are individual decisions or family obstacles that need to be faced, use that as an opportunity for the individuals in your family to observe, participate and find the solution as a group.
Problem-solving is a lifelong skill, and one that we need to, typically, implement every day. Giving kids the opportunity, encouragement and examples to practice their own process is setting them up to become their own critical, creative and empowered problem-solvers!
—
Want more support with developing systems for the whole family?
Check out our asynchronous courses!
Get more personalized support with our groups + 1:1 coaching:
If you would like to speak with us directly, book a discovery call!
