What Is a Problem?
Imagine you wake up one morning and you cannot find your left shoe. You look under the bed. You check by the door. No shoe! That feeling — the one where something is wrong or missing and you need to figure it out — is what it feels like to have a problem. Problems are not scary. They happen to everyone, every single day. And the good news is that problems can almost always be solved.
A Problem Is Something You Want to Figure Out or Fix
A problem is a situation where things are not quite the way you want them to be, and you need to think about what to do next. Some problems are small. You spilled juice on your drawing. You cannot open a jar. Your favorite show will not load. Some problems are bigger. A friend is feeling sad. You do not understand something in class. You want to build a birdhouse but do not know how to start. Big or small, every problem is the same in one way: it is something waiting to be figured out.
A problem is something you want to figure out or fix. Noticing a problem is the very first step toward solving it!
Here is a way to spot a problem. Ask yourself two questions: What is happening right now? What do I want to happen instead? If those two answers are different, you have a problem — and that is totally okay! The gap between what IS and what you WANT is exactly where problem-solving begins. For example: Right now, I cannot find my shoe. I want to have both shoes on my feet. Gap? Yes! Problem? Yes! Time to think it through.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
Not every problem feels fun. Some problems make us feel worried, confused, or frustrated. Those feelings are completely normal! The trick is not to let those feelings stop you. When you feel stuck or upset, take a slow breath and remind yourself: this is a problem, and problems can be solved. That one thought can change everything.
When something feels wrong, try saying out loud: I have a problem, and I can figure it out. Saying it out loud helps your brain switch from worried mode to thinking mode!
Terms
Definitions
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Which of these is the best description of a problem?
Marta wants to build a tower with her blocks, but it keeps falling down. What are her two problem-spotting questions?
My Problem Spotter
- Fold a piece of paper in half to make two columns. At the top of the left column write: What is happening right now? At the top of the right column write: What do I want instead?
- Think of three small problems from your day — anything counts! For each one, fill in both columns.
- For example: Left column — I cannot find my pencil. Right column — I want to have my pencil so I can write.
- Once you fill in both sides, put a star next to the problem you most want to solve. Tomorrow, try to solve that one! Notice how just writing it down makes it feel less scary.