Choices, choices, they’re everywhere! Offering choices to your child is a powerful parenting tool, but sometimes kids struggle to make decisions when presented with options. Why does this happen?
Not all choices are clear or straightforward. Kids may want both options, dislike the choices given, or simply feel unsure about what they want. Making decisions isn’t always natural, especially for young children. It’s a lifelong skill that needs to be taught and learned.
Surprisingly, children are never too young to start learning the art of responsible decision-making, and as a parent, you are their best teacher. In this post, we will guide you through teaching your child how to make age-appropriate choices.
Many schools teach older students a framework called The Decision-Making Process Framework to develop responsible decision-making skills. This step-by-step process can be adapted for younger children too:
- Identify options
- Gather information
- Brainstorm choices or solutions
- Identify outcomes
- Make a choice
- Take action
- Evaluate the outcome
It’s a fantastic tool to follow, and we’ll explore how you can teach your little one to make choices with ease. Let’s See, Think, and Imagine, how!
See:
Identifying Options or Problems:
- Help your child understand the available choices by clearly labeling or presenting them.
- Make choices structured rather than open-ended, such as “Would you like to play with puzzles or build with blocks first?”
- Use concrete terms to identify the problem, like “You seem unsure which toy to pick for free choice because there are many in the playroom!”
- Narrate simple choices or problems you encounter in your daily life to show your child how to identify them.
- Encourage your child to self-identify choices or problems by asking them questions like “What are your choices?” or “What are you trying to figure out?”
Think:
Brainstorming Choices or Solutions:
- Involve your child in the choice or problem-solving process.
- Discuss choices or solutions that could work in each situation. For example, during free choice time, talk about the options available, such as blocks, books, or puzzles, and ask them what sounds the most interesting or fun to them.
Imagine:
Taking Action and Evaluating the Outcome
- Once a choice has been made, it’s time to put it into action. Encourage your child to follow through on their decision.
- Afterward, discuss how the choice went and ask about their experience.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you guide your child through decision-making:
- These steps are most helpful for complex choices, not simple or obvious ones.
- Some steps can be skipped if your child is ready to make a choice. Focus on the necessary steps for their development.
- If you encounter power struggles, take a break and return to the conversation later when both parties are calmer.
- If your child doesn’t like any of the choices, avoid offering more options right away. Instead, ask about their thoughts and feelings and then provide two new choices that match their preferences.
- Some children may need to develop the ability to make choices gradually. In these cases, focus on modeling decision-making before presenting options, and keep the choices simple.
With time, practice, and open communication, your child will learn valuable skills and become a confident decision-maker. Empower them to make choices and navigate the world with confidence!