Have you ever ventured into something new but then fell at the first hurdle? Do you remember how disappointed and angry you felt at the time? When kids go through similar situations, their emotions are usually more compounded. They may never try that activity again if they’re not taught how to cope.

To avoid this, you should nurture a growth mindset in your children early on. This way, they’ll go through life knowing they can learn and succeed in anything. Read on to learn more about cultivating a growth mindset in children. 

What Is a Growth Mindset?

Before I dive into the tactics, it’s good to know exactly what this is. A growth mindset thinks you can improve your rudimentary capabilities through hard work and determination. In other words, the basic knowledge and ability to do something can always be polished if you put in the work. 

This is contrary to a fixed mindset, which holds that one’s capabilities - their knowledge or expertise - are fixed traits. In this case, no amount of effort can change your capacity to excel in a certain task. 

You should strive to nurture a growth mindset when raising your little one. This helps them to develop a passion for learning new things. More importantly, it teaches them resilience - a trait that goes a long way in aiding them to succeed. 

How to Help Your Child Have a Growth Mindset?

Praise the Process

One way to nurture a growth mindset in kids is by praising them for any little effort they make.

In fact, this study reveals that praising a child encourages them to try out new techniques for improvement. It also helps them appreciate the hard work it took to succeed in a particular activity. 

So the next time your little one performs a task successfully, don’t just reward them for the outcome. Instead, acknowledge their willingness and determination to accomplish the task. You may compliment them by saying, "That appeared to be quite difficult, but you stuck it out all the way to the end."

Model a Good Example

If you’d like your child to have a growth mindset, start by modelling this behavior right from home. Specifically, be mindful of your reactions and responses when things fail to work out. 

Let’s say you were trying a new recipe, and the dish turns out completely different. Rather than just throwing the meal in the garbage, trace your steps and see where you went wrong. 

In doing so, you’re training your child to learn from their own mistakes. This also teaches them to accept defeat, as things won’t always pan out.

Nurture a Love for Learning

Most kids view learning as a means to an end- specifically, a tool to get good grades. 

However, learning is so much more than that, and it’s one of the best areas to nurture a growth mindset. To achieve this, look for ways to foster creativity and exploration. 

For instance, if they learn about animals or aquatic life at school, you could schedule a visit to the zoo or aquarium during the weekend. This helps them see that learning is a continuing process while also helping them develop that growth mindset.

Help Your Child Identify Their Passion

Guiding your little one in identifying their passion is another way to cultivate a growth mindset. When a child is fond of a particular activity or thing, they’ll do everything they can to make it work.

For instance, let’s consider a child who’s passionate about basketball. They’ll be excited about joining a team; be it at school or home. And even when they lose a game, they’ll be open to learning from their mistakes and trying again.This persistence is an integral aspect of developing that growth mindset.  

Have a Discussion About the Growth Mindset

Are your children past the toddler stage? If they are, then discussing is the easiest way to approach this. 

Have a sit-down and explain what it means to have a growth mindset. You can use illustrations and examples to help them grasp this concept better. One example you can use is that of a plant. Every plant starts as a seed. As it gets watered, nourished, and exposed to the right factors - like sunlight - it grows into a plant. 

The Essence of Nurturing a Growth Mindset in Children

There are a few reasons why parents should nurture growth mindsets in their kids. These include:

Teaches Them to Be Resilient

As I mentioned earlier, one of the perks of a child who has a growth mindset is that they’re more resilient. Whenever they encounter challenges, they look for viable solutions rather than giving up. They view these hurdles as opportunities to learn and grow.

More Passionate About Learning

Kids with growth mindsets are also more passionate about learning. They don’t view learning simply as a means to get good grades. Instead, they take it as an opportunity to master a new skill and grow from it.

Higher Levels of Accomplishment

Since a child with a growth mindset is more motivated to learn and resilient, they tend to reach higher levels of achievement. In fact, a 2018 study carried out by the PISA showed that such children get better grades than those with a fixed mindset. 

The Bottom Line

There’s no playbook on how to raise kids right so they can be successful later in life. But if there’s one thing you should strive to do, it is to nurture a growth mindset in them. Teach them that they can learn anything they want to through hard work, patience, and determination. 

This will help them succeed in their academics and be resilient when faced with setbacks.. Anytime they encounter a challenge, they’ll view it as an opportunity to learn from it; not a problem that can’t be solved. As a result, your child will be more open and excited to learn new things. 

Besides, fostering this growth mindset isn’t difficult. Some of the best ways to do this entail praising the learning journey/process, modeling a good example and helping them identify their passion.