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A child holds a Brazilian flag during an election campaign march in support of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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FILE - Fans wear shirts saying, "Trans Kids Belong In Sports," during a WNBA basketball game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Indiana Fever, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Experts say children need to struggle with everyday problems to develop independence. They emphasize the importance of letting kids figure things out on their own. Parents often face the challenge of knowing when to help and when to step back. Dr. Dana Suskind believes giving children the experience of solving problems is crucial. Experts suggest asking open-ended questions to guide children rather than immediately solving issues. Psychologist Dr. Jean Twenge notes that today’s kids have fewer opportunities to practice independence. Parents can facilitate small challenges in everyday life to help children build confidence and resilience.

Families’ interest in their kids’ education is falling in many high-income countries as school systems struggle with plunging test scores. That's according to newly released results from a standardized test taken by 15-year-olds around the world. Over 760,000 teenagers in dozens of countries took the Programme for International Student Assessment last year. Results were released Tuesday. Average scores in math, reading and science are all at their lowest point ever among highly developed economies. That includes continued declines in reading and math scores in the United States. China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea scored the highest marks on the test.