Question
My 7 year old son has a problem solving problem. Any task he performs can make him melt down. I am sure that when he was younger I would jump in and solve his problem, but I have been very conscious of this the last few years and I try to let him do more for himself now. The thing is, my husband is kind of the same way. He is easily frustrated by traffic, putting things together, you name it. So I’m not sure if he learned this behavior from me, or inherited it from his dad. Either way, I’m at a loss for how to teach him better problem solving skills. It comes naturally to me (and to my older son) so its hard to articulate the steps I am taking when I solve a problem. But I feel like he really needs these skills to eventually become a productive member of society. Can you offer any advice on helping him learn? Or am I wasting my time trying to change what is effectively a personality trait?
