By MICHELLE BEFRAN
Cottonwood Extension District
Have you ever worked on a jigsaw puzzle and, initially, the pieces and colors seem to make no sense?
We’ve had a puzzle set up in our back room for several weeks and it is a good brain break. It also made me think about how we approach problems.
I start a jigsaw puzzle by trying to find all of the border pieces. This helps me to have a framework for how to get started.
Next, I will start with a small area to identify colors or details that seem to go together. There are times when everything just feels like a jumble but finding the right spot for one or two pieces can keep me engaged and encourage me to keep looking for the next small step.
The first H in the 4-H Pledge is “head” as in, I pledge my head to clearer thinking.
This is all about helping our young people learn to evaluate options and practice good decision-making skills. We use a lot of different techniques to help youth learn about and develop good decision-making skills.
Some of these are fun such as a judging contest. Some are more serious such as decisions to be voted on during a club or project meeting. Sometimes, the decision-making practice comes as a part of another activity – if you don’t agree with a judge’s decision, YOU have a decision to make, such as truly listening to the feedback and choosing to find parts of it to improve in some way.
Additionally, parents can and should model this behavior by not bashing a judge (or referee or other official) when you don’t agree with their determination. Sometimes, we have to agree to disagree but I am a firm believer that there is always something that can be learned from each interaction; we just have to make a decision to be open to the lesson.
There are times when problems feel like a jigsaw puzzle and the solution is not clear, the details are confusing, and it is hard to know where to start.
Stopping to find your border and then identifying one or two ways to get started is usually best. At some point – in puzzles and problem-solving – we can begin to see not only what is missing but what or WHO can fill that spot.
Just like I can’t quite get that puzzle piece in the right spot, youth aren’t always going to make the best decisions every time. But with guidance and support to evaluate and grow, they will make better decisions more often!
Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.
Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.
For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at [email protected] or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.