As the parents and educators of kids with unique learning needs, we tend to place a lot of focus on achievement.
We emphasize the importance of getting good grades, mastering specific skills, and displaying certain behaviors – and although those are noble endeavors, to say the very least, they ignore the “how” behind the “what.”
It’s important to encourage teens to be successful and to teach daily living skills,) but it’s even more important to encourage their success by showing them how to be resourceful and believe in their abilities.
High grades and test scores are not reliable indicators of resourcefulness. There are plenty of college graduates who struggle to solve everyday problems. Being resourceful is about more than just cognitive ability, but instead involves the ability to process information well emotionally as well as intellectually.
Here are some tips to help you teach your teen to be resourceful.
Click here to read the TL;DR summary.
Introduction to Resourcefulness
Resourcefulness is the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties and solve everyday problems. It involves using problem-solving skills, creativity, and critical thinking to come up with innovative solutions. Children are naturally inquisitive and creative, which provides a strong foundation for developing resourcefulness. Encouraging resourcefulness in children can help them develop a growth mindset, become more independent, and build confidence in their ability to solve hard problems. By teaching resourcefulness, we equip children with the tools they need to navigate life’s challenges and find effective solutions. In this section, we will explore the importance of teaching resourcefulness and provide fun ideas and activities to help children develop this valuable character trait.
Understanding the Importance of Resourcefulness
Teaching resourcefulness is essential in today’s world, where children are constantly faced with challenges and difficulties. By encouraging resourcefulness, parents and teachers can help children develop the skills they need to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. Resourcefulness is not just about solving problems, but also about being creative, thinking outside the box, and finding new ways to do things. It’s a big part of life, and it’s essential to model resourcefulness and provide opportunities for children to practice and develop this skill. Resourcefulness is a highly desirable attribute in our careers and life, as it enables individuals to adapt and thrive in various situations. In the classroom, teachers can create a classroom community that encourages resourcefulness by providing opportunities for children to work together, share ideas, and learn from each other. This collaborative environment helps children realize the importance of resourcefulness and how it can be applied in various aspects of their lives.
What is Resourcefulness?
Simply put, resourcefulness is the ability to find ways to overcome problems or difficulties. Usually, these are quick, clever, and effective solutions – but that’s not always the case.
We all want to be resourceful, so it only makes sense that we foster this character trait in our kids. Children are generally inquisitive and creative, which helps in problem-solving and provides a natural starting point for developing resourcefulness.
People who are more resourceful are not only better at achieving their goals but are also better at handling stress. Resourcefulness is primarily a mindset that involves a can-do attitude, enabling individuals to approach challenges with confidence and determination.
It is also closely linked to sociability, creativity, resilience, self-awareness, and ingenuity.
How to Teach Your Teen to Be Resourceful: 12 Strategies to Try
Here are some techniques you can try as you attempt to teach your child the beneficial characteristic of resourcefulness.
1. Teach Resourcefulness Directly
Although I’ll give you some fun ideas to teach resourcefulness later on down this list, it’s important to emphasize that sometimes, the best way to teach a skill is to come right out and say it.
Tell your child exactly what it means to be resourceful and why it is so important that they foster this skill. Tell them stories of resourceful people like Temple Grandin, Walt Disney, and other inspirational problem solvers who created innovative solutions. This is a great way to help them envision the end result of becoming more resourceful.
2. Help With Problem Solving
Teach your child to harness their existing knowledge by exploring as many unique approaches to problem-solving as you can. Walk them through problems they might have, breaking them down step by step.
For example – what is the problem? Set up a plan to deal with the problem. Carry out the plan. Reflect on the plan to see if it was successful. If it was, great! If not, repeat the process until you are able to solve the problem.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Technology
Access to various technology resources can make teens more resourceful. From note-taking programs to electronic planners and apps, these tools can help children solve problems, answer questions (thanks, Google!), and plan out long-term solutions to more pressing issues.
4. Reflection is Key
Resourcefulness isn’t just about simply being able to solve a problem, but also about reflecting on the lessons learned from your problem-solving skills later on. Help your teens understand what this kind of reflection means and how to do it. Encourage them to ask themselves what they would do differently next time.
5. …but So Are Independence and Collaboration
Challenge, both independence and collaboration, though seemingly opposing terms, are important in the process of becoming more resourceful. Teens should be able to decide for themselves which tasks should be tackled on their own and which would benefit from the help of others.
6. Encourage Your Teen to Be Skeptical
You don’t need to encourage negativity, of course, but pushing your teens to be a bit skeptical when things don’t go as expected is a great way to foster resourcefulness. Being resourceful means developing the ability to examine multiple solutions to a single problem.
Invite your teen to ask for additional evidence rather than automatically accepting a claim as true.
7. Show Them Some Examples
If you’re trying to teach your teen to be more resourceful, they might feel stumped about where to start looking. It can take some time to teach this skill!
Instead of answering your child’s seemingly endless list of questions about a subject, encourage them to find the answer for themselves. Don’t just tell them to “go look it up,” though – point them in the right direction.
For example, if they don’t know what a word means, you can steer them to a dictionary.
You even teach your child to be more resourceful by encouraging them to be more eco-friendly. Teach your teen to buy used items, for example, by shopping at a thrift store. Not only will they be able to come up with new ways to use old items, but they’ll also get some enjoyment out of this hands-on learning experience. Show them how to reuse things creatively to foster both resourcefulness and environmental responsibility.
8. Give Them Work
Although it might be quicker just to do it yourself, assigning your child some household chores is a great way to encourage resourcefulness and develop their abilities. They’ll learn how to solve problems – how to add gas to the lawnmower, how to fix basic items around the house – and become more independent at the same time.
9. Let Them Make the Call
If you’ve ever spent a lot of time around teenagers, you know that many of them are absolutely petrified to make phone calls – ironic, given how much time many of them like to spend on their phones!
Teach your child how to make their own phone calls. From calling to schedule doctors’ appointments to calling to deal with technical issues on their computers, encouraging your child to make their own phone calls is integral to fostering resourcefulness. Of course, you can be there to help, but it’s a great way to encourage independence and help them stand on their own.
10. Ask For Their Help
Whether it’s asking for their help in planning a cross-country vacation, coming up with the weekly grocery list, or turning learning into a fun game, encourage your child to help solve your family’s everyday problems with you.
You can tailor these to your child’s interests, age, and ability levels, of course. It matters less what kind of problems you are having your child help you solve and more that you are getting them involved in the first place!
11. Model Resourcefulness Yourself
Kids, even older teens, learn best by seeing behaviors in action. Model what resourcefulness looks like by showing that not everything is straightforward or goes as planned!
Maybe you aren’t sure how to fix something. Rather than giving up or hiring someone to do it for you, you could look up a YouTube tutorial explaining how to do it. If you decide to make pancakes for breakfast and realize you don’t have buttermilk, maybe you could research a buttermilk substitution for the same recipe.
Showing your child that you work hard to solve everyday problems is a great way to encourage resourcefulness – and to inspire your teen to do the same.
12. Give Them the Right Resources
As a parent, it’s normal to want to help your child as much as possible, especially at the start of the school year. However, you need to avoid doing too much for them, as studies show that too much interference can make it difficult for kids to control their behavior, emotions, and attention.
That said, there are things you can do to help set your child up for success. Provide them with tools like the Problem-Solving Playbook from our EF Workbook (coupon code LSA20 for 20% off at checkout) so that they have clear guidelines of what to do in order to solve a problem.
Show them how to carry out a task from start) to finish – and how to address any roadblocks that might get in the way. By giving them a clear plan for solving problems, they’ll be able to handle any challenges that come their way.
Encourage Resourcefulness in the Classroom
Encouraging resourcefulness in the classroom can be done in a variety of ways. Teachers can provide opportunities for children to work on projects that require problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. They can also encourage children to ask questions, seek help when needed, and reflect on their successes and failures. By providing a supportive and encouraging environment, teachers can help children develop the confidence and skills they need to become resourceful problem-solvers. Additionally, teachers can use games, puzzles, and other activities to make learning fun and engaging, while also teaching important skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. These activities not only make learning enjoyable but also help children develop the ability to think on their feet and come up with clever solutions to everyday problems.
Close Reading for Critical Thinking
Close reading is an essential skill for critical thinking and problem-solving. It involves carefully reading and analyzing texts to understand the author’s message, identify main ideas, and make inferences. By teaching children close reading skills, parents and teachers can help them develop the ability to think critically and make informed decisions. Close reading can also help children develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and make connections between different ideas and concepts. In the classroom, teachers can use close reading activities to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, while also helping children develop a love of reading and learning. By focusing on close reading, children can enhance their comprehension skills and become more adept at tackling complex problems with confidence and insight.
Praise Your Child’s Progress
Don’t be afraid of allowing your student or child to make mistakes. Often, we as people (and as parents or teachers) are so afraid of failure that we don’t ever let ourselves or our children fail. However, failure and mistakes are the best ways to learn – so let your teen try a solution for himself and discover that it doesn’t work.
Yes, even if you know from the very beginning that it’s never going to work! It can be hard to watch a child struggle, but it’s important to help them develop lifelong resourcefulness.
Most importantly, encourage your teen’s effort and hard work rather than the end result. While it’s perfectly fine to call your child smart or to commend them for getting an A in class, it’s even better to praise your child for working hard and putting in a solid effort.
By doing this, your teen will discover that he is capable of learning new things – and solving hard problems – if they keep working at it.
TL;DR Summary
Teaching resourcefulness helps teens build skills to confidently tackle challenges and solve everyday problems. Here are 8 ways you can encourage resourcefulness in your teen:
- Teach resourcefulness directly: Clearly explain what it means, why it matters, and share inspiring examples.
- Support independent problem-solving: Give teens chores, encourage decision-making, and allow them to handle tasks independently.
- Model resourcefulness: Demonstrate how you creatively solve problems in everyday situations.
- Provide useful tools: Offer clear resources like planners, problem-solving guides, or educational apps to guide their efforts.
- Encourage reflection: After solving a problem, talk through what worked well and what could be improved next time.
- Promote skepticism and curiosity: Teach teens to ask questions and seek multiple perspectives rather than accepting the first solution.
- Celebrate effort and resilience: Praise teens’ hard work, effort, and willingness to try—even when things don’t go perfectly.
- Balance independence and collaboration: Help teens recognize when they should solve problems alone and when it’s beneficial to ask others for help.
By using these strategies, you’ll equip your teen with the confidence and skills to handle life’s challenges creatively and independently.
Further Reading
- Life Skills Advocate: Executive Functioning 101 Hub
- Amy Sippl: 25 Life Skills Every Teenager Should Know
- Amy Sippl: 9 Task Initiation Goals To Teach Getting Started
- Krysten Crawford: Stanford-led study highlights the importance of letting kids take the lead
- Serap Akgun and Joseph Ciarrochi: Learned Resourcefulness Moderates the Relationship Between Academic Stress and Academic Performance