Tag Archives: problem solving

Benefits For Children of Divorce

Everyone talks about the negative effects of divorce on children, but what about the positives? There are some, there have to be; otherwise we should all just give up right now! Let’s see, for one thing children of single parent’s learn to be self reliant at a younger age. This is usually the result of having to do for themselves, whether it is getting to school, on time and prepared, or fixing something to eat in the microwave. Our children quickly learn you can’t call Mom at work every time you can’t get the DVD player to work. Also they … Continue reading →

Letting Them Solve Problems WITHOUT Interference

We often talk about the road to independence here in the Parents blog and we also talk about teaching, guidance and intervention. I thought that it was high time we talk about letting our children solve problems without a word or intervention from us as parents. It can be hard; much easier said than done; but if they are to develop problem-solving skills and confidence, the children need opportunities to tackle things without our getting in the way. When a child is learning to walk, he or she falls down—it is a given. As a parent do you rush over … Continue reading →

Ask Your Child Hard Questions Too

There are times when our children can throw us for a loop with their tough, complicated questions. Many of us realized our children were leaving the baby stages behind when they started asking us “why” and “how” for everything. The children are not the only ones who can ask the hard questions, however, and it is actually stimulating and good for our children if we ask them some challenging questions once in a while too… Instead of automatically explaining or teaching our children as we go along, asking them questions and encouraging them to come up with the answers is … Continue reading →

Differentiate between External and Internal Issues

Problem-solving is a regular part of running a home business. Most of us find ourselves constantly having to put out fires and deal with issues that come up. It helps to be able to determine which issues are coming from external sources and which ones are developing on an internal level. Which are coming from outside your business and which are problems that you are generating yourself from within? What would be the difference between an internal and an external problem? An internal problem would be something like inadequate bookkeeping software or a time management crunch on your side. If … Continue reading →

Talk to Kids about Options and Choices

It is one thing to give our kids plenty of opportunities to make choices and problem-solve on their own, but as they get older we can also help them develop into independent thinkers and build self confidence by talking over with them different options and choices that are and will be available to them. I find that as my kids get older, they have a genuine interest in the world around them and they need to talk through and explore all the options that might be available out there for them. After all, they often have no idea all the … Continue reading →

Do You Only Surround Yourself with Like-Minded Individuals?

Recently, I heard someone ask a question of a group of people and then add the clarifying caveat: “I don’t want to hear from those of you who have different opinions; I only want suggestions from like-minded individuals.” I could not help but wonder what was the point? I mean, how can only hearing from those who parrot your opinions be helpful in problem-solving, brainstorming, or even figuring out what is the best way to take your business? While having like-minded sorts around us can make us feel safer and more comfortable in our thinking, is that really the best … Continue reading →

Let Them Work on it First, Before You Step In

As most of you know, my children are older–all older teenagers but they all still live at home. Instead of T-ball, simple social spats, and summer camp, we are dealing with things like choosing college and careers, driving, and identity struggles. Still, I find that some parenting techniques that worked well when they were younger and “coming up”–continue to work well. AND, I anticipate that I will be able to modify and use them as they become adults too. One such philosophy is to let the kids work on their problems and struggles first, before I step in and try … Continue reading →

Are You Making Decisions in Desperation?

I am not saying that a person cannot make decent decisions under pressure, but I do think it is far better to come from a position of strength and level-headedness than to be making decisions that affect our home businesses when we are feeling desperate. People tend to be more inclined to take uncalculated risks when they are feeling desperate, and desperation can make people do all sorts of unsavory and ill-advised things. I know that we cannot always be expected to come at our businesses and our problems from a place of strength and confidence; there are certainly those … Continue reading →

We Could Use a Good Troubleshooter

One of my favorite words that have evolved in the past ten years or so is the word “troubleshooter” or its counterpart verb “troubleshoot”—I am sure that it is somehow tied to technological advancements but it has been appropriated into just about every workplace and project that I know of. In my family life, however, I cannot help but think sometimes that what we really need is not a parent or a housekeeper, but a good, qualified, creative troubleshooter! The thing about being the parent is that I do tend to get in a rut—even my problem-solving skills that have … Continue reading →

The Joy of Busy Work

Most of the time, I want to be challenged in my work. That is one of the reasons I even started a home business in the first place—I got tired of having other people dictate my work day and set my schedule and even tell me how they thought things should be done. I wanted to feel challenged and limited only by my own choices and issues. That said, there are those days or mornings when I really do enjoy a bit of busy work. The rote activity of preparing mailings or putting together copies and packets gives me a … Continue reading →