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I Could Have...

Sharpen your child's problem solving and decision making skills with this activity.

I Could Have...

Time

  • 5 to 15 minutes

Materials

  • None

Directions

  1. To encourage good problem solving, you can help your child learn the value of asking questions and discussing information involved in a situation.
  2. Sit down with your child when a poor choice has been made and discuss other choices that could have been made. Children feel valued when adults take the time to help them process through issues, especially when the adults respect the answers that the children come up with.

Extensions

  • Write down what your child says and save it in a box or binder to refer to later when a similar choice comes up.
  • Take turns making up hypothetical situations for each of you to respond to.

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