Critical Thinking And Problem Solving Tips That Can Change And Save Your Child’s Life

From the day babies are born, they are consistently having new experiences in seeing, hearing, tasting and touching the world around them. It is when they reach a certain age of maturity that they start thinking for themselves. This is where Critical Thinking and Problem Solving begins. Around the age of three and above, children start talking and speaking up for themselves telling their parents when they are hungry, or if they feel unwell along with their opinions on what they like and don’t like.

From then, parents should start to speak to them as if they are adults and attempt to pick up how much they understand of the world. Critical thinking and problem solving, whether at home, school, or out in the public, is needed to guide children to think and articulate what and how they feel without being afraid.

Critical thinking skills are the foundation of education as well as an important life skill. Without the ability to think critically, kids will struggle academically and personally, especially as they get older and have to make life decisions and live independently.

Parents play an important role in raising their children to think for themselves and build the confidence to go their own way and not mindlessly following the crowd. Peer pressure is a real issue as it can trap children and even adults into doing something they don’t want to do or regret later in life. Developing critical thinking from a young age can ease the process of decision making and independence.

What Is Critical Thinking and Problem Solving?

Critical thinking and problem solving are sets of skills that gives people the ability to imagine, analyse, and evaluate information in a realistic and logical manner. These skills help people make decisions, set goals and form opinions and ideas.

Why Critical Thinking and Problem Solving is Important

There is vast research that has found that people who lack critical thinking and problem solving skills face a higher risk of behavioural problems.

If kids are not raised to be critical thinkers, they are likely to grow up unable to think carefully before making decisions. Critical thinking also allows children to gain a deeper understanding of the world including:

1. How they see themselves in the world.

2. How they see others in the world.

3. How observant and open-minded they are compared to others.

4. How they choose to react in particular situations.

Benefits of Critical Thinking Skills

There are many benefits of teaching your child Critical Thinking and Problem Solving such as:

1. Solving complex problems

2. Awareness of how they feel about things in life

3. Building and maintenance of relationships

4. Awareness of peer pressure

5. Analysing, comparing and contrasting things or situations

6. Forming arguments

7. Self-reflection and setting personal goals

8. Independence

9. Enhance creativity

10. Curiosity and growth

11. Become a better leader

12. Become a better team player

13. Become a more confident person

14. Reduced distress

15. Improve life satisfaction

How to teach kids to be critical thinkers and problem solvers

Simple but effective tips on ways to teach kids to be critical thinkers and problem solvers:

1. Be a good role model

Children particularly will mimic and follow what they are surrounded by. That’s why it is also good to send our kids to school with kids in the same age group as they mimic and each-other in the academic environment.

As parents, what we do in-front of our kids should be what we want them to do. For example, if you want your kids to be patient, you should show them patience when facing a challenge like a cup of spilt milk on the floor. Instead of throwing a tantrum and shouting and cussing, take a towel and show them how to clean up spilt milk. Get the kids involved, each take a towel and wipe the milk off the floor together.

2. Play with them

When playing games, we teach our kids to share, take turns and to think of ways to the finish line. For example, playing with dolls. Create conversations between the dolls and attract the child’s interest in the conversation.

3. Teach them to solve problems

Problems that are safe and used in life they live in. For example, something as simple as tying and untying shoe laces.

4. Encourage them to ask questions

Observe your child in a new environment or experiencing something new.

For Example, when you watch a new movie together, ask them if they understand what happened and why the characters in the movie reacted that way.

Don’t get angry or frustrated when they open up and start questioning since as kids, they will have many questions and this is a good sign.

5. Practice making choices

Start with everyday life. Let them choose:

a) what they want to wear, no matter how hideous they may look to your taste and wear colour codes that don’t match, let them build their own taste of clothing for themselves as long as it is safe.

b) Let them choose which restaurant to eat at over the weekends.

c) Let them choose to show affection towards Grandpa and Grandma.

6. Encourage Open-Mindedness

Open-mindedness is the skill of thinking logically, objectively and evaluate ideas without bias of their own pre-assumptions, beliefs and judgments. Ways to encourage open-mindedness:

a) Diversity

To be aware that the people around us may come from different backgrounds and profiles including religion, ages, race, skin colour, economic and academic.

b) Inclusiveness

To be aware that everyone deserves a chance to have a voice and be part of the team.

c) Fairness

To be consistent in the treatment of people around you so that how you treat one is how you treat others, or that how you treat others is similar to how to you wish to be treated.