Don't Just Fix Your Child's Problems. Teach Them to Solve Them.

Hey friends,

One of the things I learned during my years in the classroom is that there's a difference between fixing a student's work and helping them become a better writer.

I could take a student's paper, correct every mistake, show them exactly what needed to change, and hand it back looking much better. But that didn't necessarily mean the student had learned anything that would help them with their next writing assignment.

Parenting can be a lot like that.

When our kids run into problems, it's tempting to step in and fix things. Sometimes it's faster. Sometimes we know exactly what needs to happen. And sometimes we're just ready for the problem to be over!

But if we're always the ones coming up with the answers, making the decisions, and working through the challenges, when do our kids get the opportunity to develop those abilities themselves?

That doesn't mean we leave them on their own or expect them to figure everything out without help. It means we start thinking differently about what we're trying to accomplish when we help them through a difficult situation.

I talk more about this in my latest video, including how we can help our kids develop the skills and confidence to become better problem solvers.

All my best,

B.J.