This “can-do” attitude is strongly related to success in school.

Here are some things you can do to help your child learn effective problem-solving skills:

• Help your child realize that it’s up to her to solve problems. Don’t jump in to solve a problem for your child if she quits. Don’t say things like, “Here, let me do this for you. It’s really too hard for someone your age.”
• Suggest different ways your child might solve a problem. For instance, if your child is having trouble putting a puzzle together by starting with the middle pieces, say, “What if you started with the corners?”
• Boost your child’s confidence that he is a good problem solver. When he shows you a completed project—even if it’s a mud pie—praise how hard he worked.
• Help your child know how good it feels to find a solution after “messing up” several times. When your child “messes up,” encourage him to keep trying. Say, “good mistakes” are okay. They help us learn.

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