Sunday, June 3, 2012

The Apprentice becomes the Master

I enjoy teaching my children how to think critically and about good ways to solve the complex problems we will face in life. There are times when it takes awhile for a lesson to sink in, and then there are the times when they are already way ahead of me and manage to throw me for a loop in return. This would be one of those times.
The other day, I helped guide our 9 year old son through a particularly difficult issue he was presented with. Together, we came up with a set of potential solutions, and then we worked through them one by one until he made what he thought was his best choice.
Me: "Do you know what method of problem solving we just employed?"
Son: "Yeah, we made aluminum."
Me: "Huh? What are you talking about? Were you even paying attention?"
Son: "Process of alumination".
Well played son. Well played. Perhaps it was best that he walked off. He knew the answer and was able to stump me at the same time. There is obviously nothing more I can teach him at this point.