Positive Parenting: Nurturing Growth Mindset at Home

A growth mindset—the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning—is key to resilience and academic success.

Parents can nurture a growth mindset at home by changing how they praise their children and handle setbacks.

1. Praise Effort and Process Over Ability When we praise intelligence (e.g., 'You're so smart'), children can become afraid of failure because they associate mistake with lack of ability. Instead, praise effort, strategies, and persistence: * *I like how hard you worked on this math problem.* * *You didn't give up, even when it was difficult.*

2. Re-frame Mistakes as Learning Opportunities Help children view mistakes as a natural part of learning. When setbacks occur, ask: * *What did we learn from this attempt?* * *How can we try it differently next time?* This approach builds resilience and problem-solving confidence.

3. Encourage Challenges Encourage children to try new, challenging activities. Remind them that trying new things helps build new skills and capabilities over time.