Parenting a Growth Mindset
Do you have children in your care that easily give up when learning a new skill? Have you noticed children who get overly frustrated if they don’t see success come easy to them? What we are really asking here is if the children have a growth or a fixed mindset.
Most people think of mindset as something that’s fixed. You either have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset, and that’s that. However, the reality is that mindset is far more complex and fluid than that. In fact, your mindset can change from day to day, depending on your experiences and interactions.
So what exactly is a mindset? A mindset is simply a set of beliefs or assumptions that you hold about yourself, others, and the world around you. These beliefs influence how you think, feel, and behave in various situations. Mindsets are not static; they can change over time as you gain new information and experiences.
There are two main types of mindsets: growth mindsets and fixed mindsets. Children with growth mindsets believe that their abilities and talents can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Children with fixed mindsets believe that their abilities and talents are set in stone; they see challenges as threats to their ego.
It’s important to note that we all have both fixed and growth mindset beliefs; the key is to have more growth mindset beliefs than fixed mindset beliefs. Why? Because research has shown that people with growth mindsets are more successful in life than those with fixed mindsets. They’re more likely to achieve their goals, persevere in the face of setbacks, and bounce back from failure.
SIGNS YOUR CHILD MIGHT HAVE A FIXED MINDSET
1. Your child has a hard time dealing with setbacks.
If your child is unable to cope with setbacks or criticism, this may be a sign that they have a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability are static and cannot be changed. This type of thinking can lead to a fear of failure, as your child may believe that they will not be able to improve if they make a mistake.
2. Your child is afraid of trying new things.
If your child is reluctant to try new activities or tasks, this may be another sign that they have a fixed mindset. They may believe that they will not be able to do something if they have never done it before, so they see no point in trying. This can limit your child’s learning and growth, as they will miss out on opportunities to develop new skills.
3. Your child gives up easily.
If your child gives up easily when faced with a challenge, this may indicate that they have a fixed mindset. They may believe that it is not worth trying to improve if they are not naturally good at something. This can lead to frustration and discouragement, as your child will feel like they are not able to meet their full potential.
4. Your child has trouble dealing with criticism.
If your child gets defensive or upset when receiving criticism, this could be another sign of a fixed mindset. They may interpret criticism as a personal attack or an indication that they are not smart or capable. This can make it difficult for your child to learn from their mistakes and improve their performance in the future.
5. Your child avoids challenging tasks.
If your child sticks to easy tasks and avoids anything that seems too difficult, this could be another sign of a fixed mindset. They may believe that they are not capable of doing something if it is too hard, so they would rather not even try. This can prevent your child from developing their skills and reaching their full potential
6. Your child is afraid of making mistakes.
If your child is afraid of making mistakes, it may be a sign that they have a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability are static traits that cannot be changed. This means that people with a fixed mindset believe that if they make a mistake, it is a reflection of their intelligence or ability, and not simply a learning opportunity. This can lead to a fear of taking risks, as people with a fixed mindset believe that they will be judged harshly for any mistakes they make.
7. Your child gets frustrated easily.
If your child gets frustrated easily, it may be another sign of a fixed mindset. When people have a fixed mindset, they often see setbacks and failures as personal failures instead of opportunities to learn and grow. This can lead to frustration, as people with a fixed mindset feel like they are not making progress or achieving their goals.
8. Your child refuses to ask for help.
People with a fixed mindset often believe that asking for help is a sign of weakness. If your child refuses to ask for help, even when they are struggling, it may be because they don’t want to appear “stupid” or “weak.”
“If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning.” – Carol Dweck
KEY RATIONALE AND STRATEGIES FOR PARENTING A GROWTH MINDSET:
Rationale:
- Everyone makes mistakes.
- Making mistakes give us an opportunity to do things differently and to learn.
- Practice make better.
Strategies:
- Model resilience and problem solving strategies
- Give your child the opportunity to solve problems on their own when appropriate
- Collaboration: Encourage your child to ask a friend to help before seeking an adult’s assistance
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO TO SUPPORT A GROWTH MINDSET FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
As a parent, you play a critical role in shaping your child’s mindset. Here are some key rationale and strategies for parenting a growth mindset:
When your child does something that is hard, praise them for their effort. This will help them see that they can improve if they work hard.
– Help your child to see mistakes as learning opportunities. Encourage them to keep trying even when they make mistakes.
– Help your child to see challenges as opportunities for growth. Encourage them to view difficult tasks as opportunities to learn and grow.
– Encourage your child to persist in the face of setbacks. Help them to see that setbacks are part of the learning process.
PARENTING TRIGGER WORDS THAT STIMULATE A GROWTH MINDSET:
- Praise the Effort
- Accepting Failures and learning from them
- Ask for Explanations
- Express the Amount of work put in
- “Your Brain is Growing”
- Praise the PROCESS!
PARENTING WORDS THAT DISCOURAGES A GROWTH MINDSET:
- Praising outcome
- Criticizing Failures
- Telling kids the answers
- Labeling or Judging student/work
- Telling them they “tried their best”
- Praising the PERSON
THE DISCOVERY OF THE GROWTH MINDSET
The idea of a growth mindset came about as a result of research conducted by Stanford professor Carol Dweck and her colleagues. In one of their most famous studies, they gave 400 fifth graders a series of puzzles to solve. Some of the puzzles were easy and some were quite difficult.
After each puzzle, the researchers asked the students how they did. They found that the students with a fixed mindset were more likely to say that they had done well, even if they had struggled with the puzzle. The students with a growth mindset were more likely to say that they had learned something from the puzzle, even if they had not solved it.
CONCLUSION:
Parenting a growth mindset is important because it can help children to be more successful in life. As a parent, you can help to nurture a growth mindset in your child by praising their effort, helping them to see mistakes as learning opportunities, and encouraging them to persist in the face of setbacks. By doing these things, you will foster a love of learning in your child and set them up for success in the future.
TOPKICK MARTIAL ARTS
TopKick Martial Arts helps parents help their children develop a Growth mindset. We do this by providing opportunities for children to fail in a safe and supportive environment, where they are encourage to learn from their mistakes. We also praise effort over outcome, and provide opportunities for children to persevere in the face of challenges. For more information about our program, please visit our website or contact us today.
