Out of the box or in?

published: 2008-11-18

These days, my son enjoys making jigsaw puzzles. But he does so his own way. Instead of putting the pieces exactly as they should be, he'll be content with the pieces fitting into each other which ever way. He doesn't mind that the image then makes no sense whatsoever. I know this may seem entirely irrelevant, but in educational terms it presents a parent with an interesting challenge. Are you the kind of parent that corrects him, takes the pieces from him to show him how they are supposed to fit? Or are you the kind of parent that encourages him to do it his own way no matter what the result? I'm sure every parent would hope to be of the latter kind. But both attitudes are equally questionable. The first reaction could burden a child with the concept of having to do things as they should be, perhaps even making him insecure if he's not able to. The second reaction could bring a child to believe his mistakes are absolutely fantastic. As usual, finding the right balance is key. As is finding it even for activities that may seem irrelevant.