Solve your problem

I wish I could remember which web site or blog I was reading about a mom who told her kids to solve their own problems. It was a couple of weeks ago, and it has stuck with me.

Today, I tried it out.

My 5 1/2 year old repeatedly interrupted my call while I was working from home. He had a dire emergency to complain that the lunch I asked his grandma to make him wasn’t what he wanted. Right away, I started asking him questions to solve his problem. Obviously, I was making no progress. He was near to tears.

I paused, thinking, we are not getting anywhere. I changed tactics. 

“Solve your problem,” I gently ordered. Figure out what is wrong and what you want and talk to your grandma about it. Solve your problem.

It was good practice for both of us. I came out of my home office about 30 minutes later. He was happily eating his lunch and giggling with grandma. She spoils him, so I think we all know what happened – she made him a new lunch and ate the other one he refused. It’s good for him to have some wins from time to time. Problem solved.