Problem-Solving with Young Children
My young grandson loves listening to Lion King music when driving to and from preschool. Each time we get into the car he has me start the CD at the beginning. Immediately, when the dramatic music of flight from the kingdom begins, he asks why the music is so sad. Each time I respond with the same answer that the animals are sad because they have to leave their homes. I do not embellish on the fighting, the killing and the war that is part of the story; but he knows it is a sad situation. Finally, after talking about the Lion King story for several weeks, I asked my grandson what he thought was happening when he heard the sad music. He painted a vibrant picture with words of sadness, but still asked why. Part of my response to his question will be to take him to see the Lion King play. After reading John F. Barell’s book, “Why Are School Buses Always Yellow”, I was able to engage in the following critical thinking dialogue with my grandson by asking good questions:
When my grandson asked, “Grandma, why are they playing sad music?”
As a grandma of infant twin baby girls, I spend hours caring and observing their various playful antics and needs in stimulating play activities. During the first six months, infants focus their days on eating, sleeping, and exploring their world with lots of loving cuddles. As your baby becomes more mobile by rolling, crawling, pulling up, and starting to walk, you can set up stimulating play areas to encourage exploration and redirect your baby from forbidden and dangerous explorations (i.e. extension cords, outlets, and small furniture that can topple on baby). These stimulating play areas can contribute to your baby’s cognitive, social-emotional, and large muscle growth. Babies love to move around and experience their environment. They love to play 
When my children were small, I used to read them Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I especially read the book to my daughters when they had a particularly difficult day. We would laugh at the various challenges Alexander would encounter throughout his very difficult day until bedtime when all was well when he drifted into dream land. 
Your children’s use of technology can support their internet browsing, staying connected through social media, and checking in with you with a cell phone. The wrong kind of use can get in the way of your children’s education and make them more self-centered. Children ages 12 to 18 spend nearly two hours a day texting alone, 8 to 10 year old children average almost 8 hours a day using technology, while those ages 11 to 18 spend more than 11 hours per day (see Is Technology Harmful to my Kids? What Parents Need to Know By Joshua Straub, Ph.D.).