Helping Kids With Flexible Thinking
How flexible thinking can help children handle uncertainty and change
By Rae Jacobson , Child Mind Institute
As the pandemic stretches on , we ’ ve all had to learn new skills to manage the stress : Bouncing back from disappointment , going with the flow when plans change unexpectedly , getting comfortable with change and managing uncertainty .
It ’ s exhausting .
But there is an upside : Many of the skills we ’ ve been forced to practice rely on a key executive function called flexible thinking . It ’ s a skill with lifelong benefits but it ’ s one that many kids ( and many adults ) often struggle to learn . And the ups and downs and ins and outs and almost-overs and wait-not-overs of the pandemic mean we ’ re getting a crash course , whether we like it or not .
What is flexible thinking ?
Flexible thinking is the ability to think about things in a new or different way . It helps us deal with uncertainty , solve problems , adjust to changes , and incorporate new information into our plans and ideas . Flexible thinking is also a key aspect of self-regulation and handling big emotions . When kids ( and , let ’ s get real , parents , too ) are able to take a flexible approach to a problem they ’ re less likely to fall apart when things don ’ t go according to plan .
Kids who can think flexibly are more adaptable and less likely to see setbacks as unfixable disasters . For example , if a trip to see Grandma has to be cancelled , a child who can ’ t think flexibly might break down (“ Now we ’ ll
4 | FLAGLER PARENT M A G A Z I N E