How do children react to being tested?
Parents often tell us that their children leave our Centre with a real boost in self-esteem, having been praised and encouraged for their hard work and persistence. Most children who come to the Centre thrive on the completion of these challenging tasks, which range from problems they can solve easily to more difficult activities. Children also enjoy the interaction with an attentive and encouraging adult. We always tell children that they are not expected to “know all of the answers” since some of the questions are designed for older children. They readily understand that we ask these questions in order to see “how you can try something new”. Some children do experience frustration with the more difficult tasks; some give up without a good try. We encourage children to tackle these more difficult items, but try to keep them from becoming overly frustrated. When we are able to see how children respond to the challenge of the situation, it gives us valuable information about what type o
