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When a youngster is faced with a problem, he may not be able to deal with it. He needs help to learn how. When a puzzle piece doesn’t fit, or when an ice cream cone falls onto the ground, he turns to someone older for help. If you want to help someone learn problem-solving skills, you should take the time to talk about problems as they happen. Of course, this is not always easy to do. Problems have a way of popping up at the worst times. Even if the time is not the best, you should try to help.
One thing you can do to help a youngster develop problem-solving skills is to find out what caused the problem. This is a skill that youngsters do not learn without help. For example, a youngster may knock over his glass of milk at the dinner table. The child may not realize that the problem is that the glass is too close to his elbow. But, once the problem is seen for what it is, it can be solved.
the next step for a youngster is to choose a solution. This step takes courage. Some people are so afraid of being wrong that they cannot solve problems. You can help by talking over some solutions to the problem. Between the two of you, decide which solution is the best and let the youngster try it out. You can help him realize that problems can be solved. Give him the courage and praise he needs to try his solution.
Another step to problem-solving is to help youngsters see the laws of cause and effect. For example, if the child knocks over a vase, it will fall and break. If he writes on the wall, it will leave a mark. Once the youngster sees the relationship between cause and effect, he is on the road to growth. The next time he sees someone knock over a vase, he knows it will break. If he sees writing on the wall, he can tell how it got there.
The ability to deal with problems does not come easily for youngsters. It does not come easily for adults, either. It takes patience for you. It takes practice for the youngster. It can be a tiring experience, but problem-solving can be taught. All it takes is time and effort.
