By Keerthana Venkatesh
Contributing Author for Spark Igniting Minds
Can problem-solving skills be nurtured?
That’s a “yes” from me – and the “yes” comes after a lovely artsy morning that my daughter and I spent creating a miniature snow town from scrap. Cotton swabs, paints, paper rolls, glue, dried shells, old newspaper, medicine dropper caps, and a shoebox cover made their way into our little world of art.
We ideated and decided on the placement of objects in our miniature snow town and my little girl got down to brass tacks (I would rather call it to paint tacks). She carefully painted the dropper caps, drew ovals on the shells and held them delicately, painting the body of what would eventually transform into a penguin. In the middle of her concentration, her tiny hand lost grip and zipppp… the black paint slashed across the oval of the penguin’s white tummy in a thick black line.
“Oops!” I thought; all prepared to face an upset, crying child. But what a surprise! She turned to me and said, “Mamma, what do I do now?” There was no way that I was going to let go of this opportunity to allow her to find a solution.
So I asked in return, “Do you think you can make something of that? Else we can always paint it white. Still, I think that small part may look a bit grey.” The little painter sat quietly for while, turning the shell over her fingers and thinking of a solution. Suddenly she piped, “Oh yes! I can paint a wing around it to show that one of its wings is folded over its chest.”
The folded wing makes its way.
That bright smile of joy on her face would have put a star to shame. And how could I stop beaming with joy, watching my little one growing up with a mind of her own! The idea of making something meaningful out of an error, the thought behind rectifying an unforeseen mistake through a creative lens – this thought process has pretty much laid its foundation in finding meaningful solutions.
How we further it is a new story altogether. But for now, we are all set to nurture this skill in myriad ways.
About Keerthana Venkatesh
Keerthana Venkatesh is a passionate writer with a penchant for positivism via thoughts, actions and alternative therapies.
She has worked on the editorial of some of India’s biggest media houses and as content management and marketing head in various corporates.
An avid traveler and a doting mother, she finds inspiration and the energy of positivism through places, people and her daughter which she showcases in her blog titled "This Short Story"!!!
Comments