A friend was telling me how she helps with her grandchildren. They talk on the phone each day before lunch, and go over what school work they have been assigned. Sometimes there are tears. One of the boys tells his grandma the question on his paper, and can't figure out why she won't simply tell him the answer. It would be so much faster for everybody, especially him. 

 

But she sees it differently. There is the mastery effect to consider. Recently one of her grandchildren learned to ride a bike which is cause for celebration all around. There were probably a few falls in the process but now he is a skilled rider and can navigate his way around the park with finesse. No matter where his grandparents walk, he knows the path and the way back to them. That makes him feel great and with good reason. His grandmother knows that merely parroting the correct responses for his teacher will not bring the same joy. Even if it completes the task painlessly. 

 

Many of us are impatient for answers. All right already, when do we reopen the schools? What is the formula for a cure? How can we get ventilators in a snap? 

 

My daughter works for a company that has stepped up their game for building ventilators, from 300 a week before the pandemic to 1000 per week by next month. On top of that they have made the schematics for the design available for free. There were 70,000 downloads in the first few days. 

 

It might have been easier for all of us if the solutions arrived without any effort by scientists, and engineers. But something more substantial seems to be finding its balance.