Encouraging a Growth Mindset in Your Child – A Key to Academic Success

Kids who believe that intelligence can be developed are more likely to take risks and challenge themselves. They will also enjoy the process of learning and won’t mind making mistakes.

To encourage a growth mindset, parents can try some of the following strategies:

1. Encourage your child to set goals.

One of the most important things you can do to encourage a growth mindset in your child is to let them know that mistakes are a part of learning. If your children see that you accept failure and don’t take it personally, they will learn to do the same. You can also help your children develop a growth mindset by showing them how to set goals and by encouraging them to try new challenges. This can be as simple as asking your kids to redo a difficult jigsaw puzzle or as complex as challenging them to take on the school dance, which will teach them that they can improve with effort and practice.

You can also encourage a growth mindset by praising your children for their efforts instead of praising them for the results. This can be as easy as saying, “Thank you for trying so hard on that math test.” By praising their effort, your children will begin to believe that they have the potential to succeed at anything.

Finally, you can also encourage a growth mindset in your children by reading books that promote the idea. There are many books that focus on overcoming obstacles, such as Esther Cordova’s I Can’t Do That, YET! These books will help your children understand that they can overcome any challenge with persistence and grit.

You can also model a growth mindset by trying new activities and challenges yourself. This will show your children that you believe that intelligence can be developed and that you are willing to push yourself to grow. You can also encourage a growth mindset by sharing stories about your own experiences with failure and success.

2. Encourage your child to stay motivated.

When kids have a growth mindset, they are more likely to be motivated to learn. This is because they understand that hard work and persistence will eventually pay off. It is important to encourage your child to keep trying, even when things get difficult. You can do this by reminding them that everyone has a unique gift and talent. You can also help them find their passion by encouraging curiosity and exploring new opportunities. For example, if your child is interested in learning music or foreign languages, encourage them to research these subjects further. This will allow them to discover that there are many ways to learn and can help build their confidence.

Another way to encourage your child is to praise their effort, rather than their innate ability. This will show them that it is okay to make mistakes and that they can be successful in whatever they choose to do. For example, instead of saying, “Well done on getting all of the questions right,” say, “Thank you for putting so much thought into your answer and following the steps to writing a paragraph.”

A growth mindset can be difficult for children to develop, especially when they experience setbacks. It is important to encourage them by reminding them that setbacks are temporary and that they can always improve with hard work and practice. You can also encourage your child by describing how they have overcome challenges in their lives and by reading books about growth mindsets, such as Esther Cordova’s I Can’t Do That, YET!

Lastly, it is important to model a growth mindset yourself. Kids learn a lot from the adults in their lives and seeing how you respond to challenges is an important influence on their own attitudes. So be sure to share your own failures and struggles with your child, and encourage them to do the same.

3. Encourage your child to make mistakes.

A child who is afraid of making mistakes will be reluctant to try new things or will avoid challenging tasks. Children with a growth mindset, on the other hand, will be more likely to push themselves and take risks. They will know that it’s normal to make a mistake sometimes, and they can learn from their mistakes.

If your child is scared of making a mistake, you can help them to build up their resilience by explaining that everyone makes mistakes. Encourage them to look at their mistakes as learning opportunities, and ask what they could have done differently next time. For example, if they forgot to study for a test, you can encourage them to think about how they can plan ahead better next time.

It’s also important to teach your children that it is okay to admit their mistakes. This will help them to develop a sense of responsibility and can be a great character-building experience for them. However, it is important to be careful not to overreact when your child does make a mistake. You don’t want to discourage them from coming to you if they have any problems.

To help your kids to build up their resilience, you can read them the story The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Beatrice Bottomwell. It’s an adorable tale about a girl who is terrified of making mistakes until one day she does, and learns to embrace her errors. You can also download our free mistake-themed bookmarks for your child, which you can print out and give to them as a positive reminder that it is okay to make mistakes! They can place them in their books as a daily reminder that they can overcome challenges.

4. Encourage your child to ask questions.

Children have a natural curiosity to learn about their world. This is one of the best things that they can do to foster a growth mindset, and it can also lead to them developing a love for learning that will last a lifetime. Encourage them to explore the world around them by asking them questions about everything that they see and hear. This will help them find information that interests them and it can also help them form connections.

When your child asks questions, make sure to answer them thoroughly. This will show them that you value their question and that you care about what they are curious about. It will also help them to understand that asking questions is not something to be embarrassed about.

Moreover, you should try to avoid using language that implies that children are either smart or not smart. For example, you should avoid saying things like, “You’re such a smart girl!” or, “What’s your favorite class?” Instead, you should focus on praising their effort and encouraging them to keep trying. This will help them to shift their perspective and to realize that they can achieve anything if they work hard.

To further encourage a growth mindset, you should consider implementing certain growth mindset activities in the classroom. For example, you could use Duckworth’s household rule, which encourages students to choose a difficult task and then persist at it until they master it. This can be anything from tying their shoes to solving 10 addition problems in a minute or writing a three-page essay. Then, they should talk with their teacher about the challenge that they chose and what they are doing to improve.

5. Encourage your child to be flexible.

Children with a growth mindset are willing to be flexible. For example, they may change the rules of a game to make it more challenging, or they might let someone else have first choice of what color to be in the game, or they might try different ways to solve a problem. This flexibility is also important when it comes to schoolwork. For instance, if your child is struggling with a particular subject, it might help to provide extra practice or a tutor to help them improve.

Developing flexible thinking can be difficult, especially in the middle of the school year when things are still changing and your child may not know what the year will look like. To encourage flexible thinking, try implementing Duckworth’s household rule: “The hard thing.” This is a rule where students choose a difficult task, such as tying their shoes, solving 10 addition problems in one minute, or writing a three-page essay. They then work on it for weeks or even months until they succeed. This allows them to develop a growth mindset because they see that the difficult task can be learned with practice and persistence.

Another way to encourage flexible thinking is by brainstorming solutions. This is a great way to teach kids that there are many ways to fix a problem. You can do this by providing your child with a variety of cards and asking them to think about how they would solve each scenario. You can also check out books that have characters who are flexible thinkers, such as Amelia Bedelia.

Overall, helping your child develop a growth mindset is an excellent way to support their academic success. However, it’s important to remember that this process takes time and will be different for every child. Be patient with your child as they develop a growth mindset and be sure to praise their successes.