Teaching a growth Mindset to children and teenagers may be one of the most important skills you can teach them for a successful and happy life. Growth Mindset refers to the belief that you are in control of your own ability, and can learn, improve and develop rather than feeling trapped. When children and teenagers understand that their brain is capable of growing, they feel more in control. In turn they become more resilient, confident and not afraid to try new things.
What is the difference?
A child with a fixed mind set will believe that they are either good at something or not. They may resist learning something new because they stick to what they know. They may feel that their potential is predetermined.
Children who adopt a Growth Mindset will believe that they can develop any skill or talent that they want to. They will learn that failure and challengers are opportunities to grow. They will enjoy trying new things and learning new methods.
There are many different ways to help children to develop a Growth Mindset. Here are just a few examples.
1. Teach them about the brain and different mindsets. You can find many articles on the internet, books or videos that will help to teach them. Check out this video on YouTube.
3. Discussion – Talk to your children about negative thoughts and feelings. Ask questions about their day For example, What did you do today to make you think or work hard? What can you learn from this? What mistake did you make? What did you learn from this mistake? What will you do to challenge yourself today?
4. Help them to set goals – In order to achieve the bigger goals in life, we need to be able to set smaller and more achievable goals. Sit down with your child / children and talk to them about what they would like to achieve or what are they struggling with. Then work with your child and write down the small steps they need to take in order to reach their goal or overcome a difficulty.
