Steps for Problem Solving
Whether it’s a conflict with another child or tough math homework, children face problems and challenges every day. Instead of getting frustrated when they encounter a problem, children with strong problem-solving abilities are able to manage their emotions, think creatively, and persevere until they find a solution.
Introduce a simple problem-solving process to your child, one that can be implemented anywhere and anytime. Try these steps:
Whether it’s an argument at school, a tricky puzzle, or untying knotted sneakers, we need to know what the problem is before we can begin to solve it.
Ask your child how they are feeling, and why they are feeling that way. Guide them to identify the specific problem so that they can come up with a plan on how to solve it.
Once your child has pinpointed the source of the problem, help them to brainstorm all of the possible solutions or approaches they can take. Some problems require more creativity and thinking than others.
Encourage your child to think of lots of different ways of solving an issue, even if it is not a “good” (or fast, or practical) solution (e.g. “crying” or “giving up”). In this step, they’re just brainstorming. Evaluating their ideas will come later.
Go through the list of possible solutions and determine which ideas might solve the problem. When thinking about which solutions might be worth trying, have your child think about the long-term consequences of each solution. For example, who will be affected? What are the positives and negatives of each solution?
Help them to select one or two potential options, and discuss how those options can be carried out. Let them try out those options.
Discuss what happened. What worked? What didn’t? What can you do differently next time?
If the solution didn’t work out. Encourage your child to pick another solution and keep trying until the problem is solved.
As your child grows and changes, the problems they face begin to change too!
School-aged children may be confronted with difficult homework, disagreements with peers, and so much more. Help your child tackle big, or more enduring, problems by helping them develop clear and achievable goals that they can reach by taking it one step at a time. With your child, set goals that are SMART! This means the goal is…
Break the goal down by addressing the who, what, when, where, and why! Rather than setting a vague goal, such as, “I want to do better in spelling,” help your child identify a goal that is more specific, like, “I want to spell at least half of the words correctly on my next spelling test.”
Help your child determine how they will know when the goal has been met. In the above example, when half the words have been spelled correctly, the goal will be reached!
Have your child set goals that will be achievable, and help them identify what they will need to do to reach their goal. In the case of improving a score on a spelling test, your child might decide to practice with you at home, go to the teacher for extra help, or read more books.
Is this goal important? Why? Is it reasonable to expect that your child will be able to reach the goal they have set?
Have your child set a date, time, and/or place for when they would like to reach their goal. This will vary based on the goal. If a longer-term goal is set, support your child regularly by checking in with them about their progress.
A little support and encouragement goes a long way, and it is okay to modify goals if they take longer than anticipated!