Raising a generation of inventors begins at home with the atmosphere you set for your children. WHAT IF. . . The open mind is able to get out of an unexpected traffic jam and improve the quality of life by changing what makes it unpleasant. This willingness to explore new possibilities leads some drivers to test 20-30 different routes to work. Such an adventuresome spirit also is efficient if it is balanced by the ability to assess the value of each option in order to eliminate options which do not meet the goals of the driver.
Invention ultimately requires judgment.
It suggests careful choices based upon values. You have the skills and can make them part of your everyday activities with your child. From the earliest age you can show your child that things don't always have to be what they seem to be. Instead of presenting life as a set of givens, unalterably set in concrete, show your child that life is a vast block set which can be torn down, built up and changed into cities, cathedrals, gardens and garages according to the whims and fancies of the players. Join your child in play.