52 Ways to help your child

Developing your child's ability to think clearly

50. When your child asks unusual or divergent questions, ask, "What made you think of that?" Does your child automatically accept whatever answer or information is offered to him? Encourage him to question it. Encourage your child to think of alternative options and the reasons that support such options or answers.
51. To solve problems, children need strategies — systematic ways of thinking. Help your child to develop and use such strategies as: breaking a problem into small manageable chunks, to think from other people's viewpoints, question how the problem was approached and a solution attempted. For example: How did you solve that problem? Could you have done it a quicker way? What are your assumptions? What makes you think the way you do? Successful problem solvers check for accuracy, learn from mistakes, are persistent and confident.
52. When your children leave the house to go to school, send them off with a smile; when you next see them, give them hugs. In this small way, you may maintain a positive relationship with them — one that is so important in these days of social turbulence. Your support and encouragement will help guide your children toward successful futures and will give you the satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best as a parent.