Understanding the Importance of Giving Kids a Growth Mindset

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Every parent wants the absolute best for their children, doing everything possible to equip them with the tools for a happy and successful life. With the multitude of challenges presented throughout life, there is one element that determines one’s reaction or response when facing a problem head on - perhaps more than anything else and that is mindset.

Have you ever observed a situation where one child was driven to overcome challenges no matter the circumstance while another gave up quickly, criticized himself, or didn’t even try? If so you witnessed the difference between a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset.

Like talents, which can be learned or come naturally, fortunately mindset works the same way too. A growth mindset is essential to improving and learning throughout life, having the confidence to move past mistakes and consistently achieve new goals.

What is a Growth Mindset?

People who possess a growth mindset not only face challenges; they welcome and even seek them out. These individuals believe can and will learn everything necessary to reach a goal, through dedication and hard work.

Psychology professor, Dr. Carol Dweck, of Stanford University wrote a book on mindset and the impact it has on our happiness, success, and motivation. Her research revealed that “students’ mindsets-how they perceive their abilities-played a key role in their motivation and achievement, and we found that if we changed students’ mindsets, we could boost their achievement. Students who believed their intelligence could be developed (a growth mindset) outperformed those who believed their intelligence was fixed (a fixed mindset).”

Children look to parents and teachers for guidance, acceptance, and even praise; and reassurance can certainly help them aspire to reach new heights. However, not all praise is helpful, even when expressed with the most loving intentions. And when teaching your kids to have a growth mindset, it is important to carefully choose a method of praise that will empower them.

Helping Your Child Develop a Growth Mindset

One of the first things you can do to help your children cultivate a growth mindset is to teach them that the brain works similar to a muscle, and that it can become stronger by learning new things. You can also share stories about individuals like Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein who achieved greatness through dedication, tenacity, and hard work.

Take advantages of real-life teaching moments. For example when your child makes a mistake, start a conversation by asking what was learned from the mistake and how they’d do it differently in the future.

The growth mindset works for anyone, even for individuals with learning disabilities, regardless of age. A growth mindset is developed over time with continuous effort. Neither intelligence nor creativity is fixed unless we decide that they are. Encouraging your children to believe in themselves and teaching them how to reach their full potential is perhaps one of the greatest gifts you could ever give them. 

Thought Starters:

• Reflect on Your Own Mindset: How would you describe your own mindset when facing challenges in life? Do you tend to embrace challenges and view them as opportunities for growth, or do you find yourself avoiding them?
• Stories of Resilience: Share stories of individuals who have overcome significant challenges through dedication and hard work. What can we learn from these stories, and how can we apply those lessons in our lives?
• Praise and Encouragement: Think about the way you praise your child's efforts and achievements. Are there specific phrases or approaches you use to promote a growth mindset?

Suggested Questions To Ask Your Child:

• What do you think it means to have a "growth mindset"?

This question can help gauge the child's understanding of the concept and open up a discussion about their perceptions.

• Can you think of a time when you faced a challenge and didn't give up? What was the result?

Encourage your child to share their experiences of perseverance and how it led to positive outcomes.

• Who are some people you admire because they never give up and keep learning new things?

This question can prompt your child to think about role models and sources of inspiration in their life.

• When you make a mistake, what do you usually do? How do you feel about it?

Explore how your child reacts to mistakes and discuss how a growth mindset can change their perspective on errors.

• Can you think of a subject or skill that you'd like to get better at? How do you plan to improve in that area?

Encourage your child to identify areas where they want to grow and discuss strategies for self-improvement.

• How do you feel when someone praises your efforts, even if you haven't achieved your goal yet?

Explore your child's feelings about praise and how it can influence their motivation and mindset.

• What would you like to achieve in the future that seems challenging right now?

Discuss your child's goals and aspirations, emphasizing that with a growth mindset, they can work toward achieving them.