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hildren often act impulsively, rushing into games, school assignments, or projects without thinking through possible outcomes. This leads to mistakes, frustrations, and missed opportunities. Teaching them to ask, “What could happen next?” builds foresight, helping them anticipate consequences and prepare for challenges—a skill essential for leadership, strategy, and personal success.

One evening, my daughter hesitated over a risky move in a board game. Instead of giving advice, I asked her to imagine what might follow each choice. She paused, weighed her options, and made her move. It wasn’t perfect, but she owned it. Later, she brought that same thinking to a group assignment—mapping roles, setting checkpoints, and adjusting when the plan veered off course. It wasn’t about getting it right the first time. It was about learning to steer.

To strengthen this habit, carve out moments to explore possibilities together. You might talk through an upcoming event, a tricky task, or a decision they’re mulling over. Invite them to name different paths—and where each one might lead. You can sketch ideas, act them out, or play with strategy-based games to stretch this skill. When planning becomes part of the process, not a barrier to spontaneity, children begin to see it as a way of sharpening their goals, not slowing them down.

TIPS

• Ask “What could happen next?” to spark foresight
• Use games and decisions to practice prediction
• Praise when they slow down to think
• Make planning visual — draw or map options
• Celebrate when plans shift based on better thinking

ACTIVITIES

• If-Then Map: Pick a game or project, list 2 actions and what each could lead to — 10 min
• Choice Tree: Draw a branch for 3 options, sketch possible results — 10 min
• Outcome Race: Predict 3 outcomes, test one and log what happened — 10 min