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RAISING GREAT GRADE SCHOOLERS
Issue 3 of 4

MAKING DECISIONS AND SOLVING PROBLEMS

RAISING GREAT GRADE SCHOOLERS Issue
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Helping Your Grade Schooler Make Good Decisions

Once your child enters grade school, they'll spend less time under your watchful eye, and encounter more situations where they'll need to make decisions for themselves. Will your child make good choices?

You can't predict the future, but you can prepare your child to think through a situation or problem and try to make the best decision they can.

Use SODAS to Teach Your Child to Make Good Decisions

We talked about the SODAS method is Issue 2, and we're diving into more detail here. As a recap, SODAS stands for:

  • S = Situation (define the situation)
  • O = Options (come up with options)
  • D = Disadvantages (think of the disadvantages of each option)
  • A = Advantages (think through the advantages of each option)
  • S = Solution (choose a solution)

There are two primary goals when using SODAS:

  1. To give you and your child a process for solving problems and making decisions together
  2. To help you teach your child how to solve problems and make decisions on their own

Defining the Situation

Before your child can solve a problem, they need to understand it. Defining the situation can be the most time-consuming part of teaching good decision-making. Children often use vague or emotional descriptions, so it can take some time to discern what they're trying to tell you. Here are some tips for helping your child define a problem:

Teaching Activity

Practicing the SODAS Method

When faced with a problem, kids need a way to work through it to find a workable, appropriate solution. The SODAS method provides structure to the process of solving problems and gives kids a new way to approach situations where they might have acted hastily or inappropriately in the past.

  1. Situation: Reflect on the situation at hand.
  2. Options: Consider various options available.
  3. Disadvantages: Think about the downsides of each option.
  4. Advantages: Evaluate the benefits of each option.
  5. Solution: Choose the best solution.

Social Skills

Preventing Trouble with Others

The ability to prevent and resolve conflicts is a social skill that will help your child's relationships thrive throughout their entire life. As a parent, you may be tempted to jump in and resolve conflict situations for your child—especially if they ask you what they should do. To prepare your child to handle conflicts on their own, sit down and discuss situations they may encounter and ways they can approach those situations.

Coming Up Next

Explore more on discipline strategies for grade schoolers.