Good advice, Ania. It's hard to know when to do that! I've had a situation where I ignored by gut because I thought it better for the same reasons you're putting out there. When it worked it was awesome, the best thing I could've done.
The few times it didn't, it was an absolute disaster.
I observed today, and truly, I felt like she was dismissing him completely.
I totally saw that coming a mile away friend.
Perhaps it's an intellectual mismatch for him. Give you an example:
We were at the science museum watching an on floor demonstration. The "scientist" was demonstrating sound vibration. She had a big copper bowl with water. She would rub her fingertip around the rim of the bowl and you could hear the tone as well as see the sound vibration via water rippling. Pretty neat. She asked if anyone could explain what was happening. Youngest DD who was 5 raised her hand. She not so subtly looked around for an older person to answer(!) no one else had their hand up so she called on her. DD walked up and said: "Like my violin." The lady dismissed her and I said, Hold on, Honey, what about your violin. "you know, the strings, that's what they do when they make the sound". Pretty good for 5, yes? The demonstrator still didn't catch on to where we were going. I said: "What else? (you could tell she trying to get something else out). She pointed to the lady's finger, which she had dipped in the water before she rubbed the rim. "Like the rosin". Now the presenter was going to dismiss DD immediately because she didn't understand how "my violin" was actually a right answer. If I had not stepped in she would have thought she was wrong and knowing her probably would have felt bad.
I think at this age it's important to protect their confidence in their thought process, especially if it's creative.
I found out later the "scientist" was a hired improv actor..........
