Yikes!  Day 7 of 2020, already!

And, it’s the first week back at school for many of you.
This means refocusing on structured learning again.

Over this past school break, you’ve had another closer look at how your child makes decisions.  Maybe it was their eyes being bigger than their stomach when it came to eating from house to house or high energy levels when choosing what game or toy to play with first.  Sometimes, they just did stuff just to do it or because it was there for the taking – no second thoughts.

Watching it in action probably even made you perplexed – and tired! 🙂

Now, it’s coming to an end as they attempt to get refocused for the classroom, for following set rules, and for honouring boundaries.

Well, we have a FREE tip that I happened upon a few months ago that you may incorporate at home to help your child with making more informed decisions – on their own.  I’ve added to it what I find to work well with students below.

GIVE THEM CHOICES
Yup.
You may be thinking, “Hmmm…that’s what they just came out of – a season of unlimited choices to do whatever they wanted to do!”

Not quite.
With this tactic, they’re limited to only two choices.
This strategy will help them to:
*compare and contrast
*reflect on the choices presented
*critically assess how it will benefit or deter them
*decide, with a reason, why they made the decision they did

How does this help your child?
It helps them to reason when it comes to other areas of their life – at school, on the playground, at home, when being asked a question by an adult, and other ways!

Let’s test it out with an example:

DAD: Darren, you may wash the dishes before supper or pack away your toys after we play Playstation together.  What do you desire?

DARREN: (he’s probably going to ponder his current state, what he desires most/least, and will assess – after whatever decision he makes and follows through on – the outcome of his choice and either make a similar one or a different one next time)

At the end of the day, it’s a win-win for both Dad and Darren.
A chore gets done, quality time is spent, and Darren gets to further develop his critical thinking skills.

I actually apply a similar concept in how I teach my students.

By empowering our children to make choices – and not making the choices for them, all of the time – we are helping to develop that muscle – that critical thinking muscle – that will assist them as they grow older.

They’ll know when to challenge a decision that doesn’t feel right.
They’ll be more inclined to think before acting.
They’ll weigh out options, look at more alternatives then decide.

A simple act such as giving them two choices will encourage growth in so many areas for them. And, it will also decrease the negatives such as ‘acting out’, angry outbursts, tantrums, etc.

The above, was a basic example regarding chores around the house.

In what ways do you plan on implementing this FREE tip with your child?  Do share!

Let’s continue to invest in our children as whole beings – fueling their mind, body, and spirit.

Best,

~Miss. Tamika

BEFORE I GO…

– Check out our ARETEnrichment Studio!  Click here to explore our Studio of goodies.  Join our e-list to stay abreast of the release of new resources and more.

– Have you signed up for our monthly Excellence RULES Enrichment Packs?  These packs are the perfect option to help solidify your child’s in-class learning in a creative way.  Click here to register for next month’s pack.

– Stay tuned for more valuable posts to help make this year a success for you and your child…<<<catch up on prior posts here>>>

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