Are you challenged by knowing when to set limits, when to have a “hands-off” approach or when to support the problem solving process? If so, you are not alone. Parenting is an art, not a science. The formula varies for each parent and child combination. Learning the skills and intuition required for supporting the problem solving process is the fastest route to your child’s self-discovery growth.
To become a critical thinker involves knowing oneself. Knowing oneself is the foundation for decision making that will lead to one’s greatest happiness. Your relationship with your kids will blossom when you learn how to support rather than set limits when they have a problem to tackle,
If you can answer “yes” to the following statements about your child’s concern or problem, grab this great opportunity to connect and exercise your child’s problem solving muscle! You will also be developing your child’s executive functioning part of the brain. 1.) My child is the one who is directly affected by the problem, not me. 2.) No rules or values have been broken. 3.) It is within my child’s ability to solve the problem as I help them discover possible solutions. During your child’s concerns, rather than your own, is the time to TEACH and MENTOR rather than control and dominate.
Copyright © 2026, Cynthia Klein, All rights reserved. Please contact Cynthia to use any of her blog post.
About Cynthia Klein
Cynthia Klein’s mission is to contribute to World Peace and building healthy family relationships is the place to begin. As a parenting expert for over 30 years, parents have learned from Cynthia how to communicate more effectively as an ally rather than an adversary. Her unique Family Harmony System teaches parents of 5 and older how to have open dialogue, solve problems together, support one another, and build mutual respect. Cynthia is the author of Ally Parenting and the video-based self-paced program Win, Win, Win, Parenting. She has presented over 700 talks and coached hundreds of parents privately towards greater family connection and harmony. To learn more about her services of coaching and speaking, contact Cynthia Klein at , visit her website at bridges2understanding.com.
