I Can Do It!
Young Parents Singapore|Young Parents Preschool Guide 2017

Teach your kindergartener to solve small issues on her own instead of always relying on an adult.

Dr Richard C. Woolfson
I Can Do It!

Your little one overreacts every time she encounters a trivial problem – for example, she becomes hysterical when she spills a cup of water in her bedroom, she cries when she can’t find her matching sock, and she fares up the second her younger brother touches one of her toys.

She needs your help to build up her problem-solving skills. Here’s how to do it:

THE SKILL A positive attitude

WHY IT MATTERS If your child approaches issues with a positive attitude, she is more likely to remain calm and find a satisfactory solution.

ENCOURAGE IT Explain that she’ll be able to sort problems out more easily when she believes that she has the ability to solve them.

Instead of letting herself feel sad, she should force herself to smile and say to herself: “I can do this without getting upset” – that form of positive self-talk, combined with positive body language, will have an immediate calming effect. She’ll be able to focus more effectively on solving the problem as a result.

This story is from the Young Parents Preschool Guide 2017 edition of Young Parents Singapore.

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This story is from the Young Parents Preschool Guide 2017 edition of Young Parents Singapore.

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