| Critical thinking is one of the most important skills you | | | | the urge to tell them what you recommend. Reassure |
| can teach your children. The ability to apply our moral | | | | them that you will not let them make a decision that will |
| and ethical principles to a given situation is critically | | | | seriously hurt them or the family, but give them to |
| important. Making difficult decisions in complex | | | | latitude to experience the consequences of their |
| situations is not always intuitive and needs to be taught. | | | | decision-making. |
| If you spend time training your children to do this while | | | | 3. Discuss Hypotheticals. Take time to discuss 'what |
| they are young, it will serve them well as they grow up | | | | ifs'. Occasionally introduce hypothetical situations that |
| and eventually move out of the home to make a life | | | | present moral or ethical dilemmas and have your |
| for themselves. | | | | children discuss and debate what the right decision and |
| Specifically, it is important that kids develop the ability | | | | course of action would be. Ask questions to insure |
| to: | | | | they have thought through all aspects of the situation. |
| 1. Properly assess a situation. | | | | In the end, give your opinion and how you arrived at it |
| 2. Evaluate options with pros and cons. | | | | for them to learn from. |
| 3. Determine a proper course of action by applying | | | | 4. Review big decisions after the fact. When big |
| their principles and value system. | | | | decisions are made, review them with your children |
| 4. Put their decision into action. | | | | several weeks or months after the fact to discuss |
| Some things you can do to help your children develop | | | | whether the outcome was as you expected at the |
| their decision-making skills include: | | | | time the decision was made. If it ended differently than |
| 1. Talk to your children about the decisions you face. | | | | expected, rather than lamenting the decision or |
| Talking openly with your kids about how you make big | | | | discussing regrets, focus on what could have been |
| decisions is great teaching. Examples would include | | | | done differently at the time the decision was made, |
| whether to make a career change, a big purchase, a | | | | paying special attention to whether the decision was |
| move for the family, etc. Be sure to explain how you | | | | truly reflective of your principles and values. |
| are assessing the situation, gathering necessary | | | | Teaching your kids to develop critical thinking skills can |
| information, evaluating the options, applying your beliefs | | | | be frustrating for them. Most kids would prefer to |
| and values, then making a decision. | | | | delegate both the decision and the consequences to |
| 2. Don't have all the answers. When your kids have a | | | | their parents. One of the best things you can do is to |
| question about what they should do, coach them | | | | help your kids work through tough decisions with |
| through the process, but don't make the decision for | | | | potentially serious consequences while living at home, |
| them. This can be very difficult for some kids. Resist | | | | before they are on their own. |