If you’re interested in developing your problem solving skills, you may find the following observation useful.
It was my son’s 7th birthday party on Saturday and around 35 of his friends joined him for music, games and some delicious party food. One of the many blessings of being a parent, is that I get to spend a lot of time learning from children. Their open minds, incredible imagination and total commitment to having fun is inspirational.
Childish inspiration
At my son’s party, I noticed that the parents acted very differently when surrounded by children, than the way they behave when I meet them in the grown-up world. They (including me) were dancing, singing, joining in with the games and every face had a smile.
This got me thinking.
Are adults childish enough?
I wondered to myself, how the adults from the party would benefit, if they applied that same childish abandon to grown up things, such as problem solving. After all, it’s easier to find the answer to a challenge, when we start off believing that anything is possible. Equally, when we need to do creative work, it really helps to tap into our imagination, just as children do when they are playing.
As adults, we know that we are here to protect, help and guide children. I just think we are missing out on an enormous learning opportunity, if we forget that we can learn from our children too.