Lessons from Kids: Problem Solving

Can you figure out what the correct answer is? I came across this riddle somewhere on the internet. I was staring hard at the computer screen when my 6-year-old daughter came in and asked what I was doing. “I’m trying to solve this math problem, sweetie.“, I said. She gave me the ?my-father-is-really-crazy“ look and said: ?Dad, five plus eight is thirteen…“.

There are two issues with problem-solving: 

1. Quite often we think we know the best. Our ego tends to tell us we are the only competent and capable person on the Earth’s surface.
2. Our thinking is so complicated that we tend to see difficult problems everywhere. Plus, it frequently happens that the more you think about a problem, the less likely you are to find the answer. 

So, next time you face a problem, take a break. Your brain will change perspective and you might see it more clearly. Ask for help, you don’t have to solve everything alone. If there are no kids around, invite someone who can see the problem with fresh, unbiased eyes.

Teamwork is more fun and usually results in more original solutions. Worth a shot, don’t you think?