How To Help Children Build A Developmental Mindset – You Are Parents

In a society as competitive as ours, frustration is the order of the day. Giving up too soon or thinking that we will never be able to achieve success are behaviors that have no place in the “development mindset”. This is a recent concept that defends the importance of believing that we are able to develop and improve our qualities over time.

What is the development mindset?

If we believe that our qualities and abilities are static and that talent is something innate, we would tend towards a “fixed mindset”. However, if we believe that our character traits can indeed develop, as well as talent, we would present what is defined as the “development mindset”.

People with a developmental mindset are those who believe that their basic skills can be developed through dedication and hard work. For Dweck, our brains and talent are just the starting point. In this way, we will develop the desire to learn how to learn, which is fundamental to continue to improve.

What are its effects ?

Teaching a development mindset is fomenting motivation and productivity in all areas of our life that we can imagine: education, work, sport, etc.

These children who build a developmental mindset will learn to accept criticism. With this attitude, they will learn from their experiences. And strive to adopt strategies that will help them improve where they fail. Because, even if they make mistakes, they know that through effort they can find a way to improve.

Ideas to develop the developmental mindset in your children

• Teach your children that the strength is in knowing how to face challenges, not in avoiding them: help them to understand that it doesn’t matter if they fail, since the simple act of trying is already a step forward. . If your child has any problem with a classmate, encourage them to start a conversation with them. Not to pass up.

• Encourage them to be persistent: One of the fundamental characteristics of a person with a developmental mindset is that they do not give up easily. For example, if your child is having difficulty with math, tell him or her that it is a subject that requires a lot of effort. And that the problem is not with him.

• Show them that criticism can be helpful: a person with a fixed mindset tends to ignore the negative opinions of others. And this even if they are useful and constructive. So help your children try to learn from the reviews whenever it is helpful.

• Motivate your children to inspire the success of others: There is no point in feeling threatened by the success of others, since the positive lies in trying to learn from and find inspiration.

Carol Dweck further clarifies that we both have mentalities. And that we can switch from one to the other depending on the moment. Even if we are very sure of our qualities, it is possible that we are overwhelmed by certain situations.

For this reason, it is essential to foster from childhood the mentality of development. Thus, little by little, the children will assimilate the challenges and the obstacles will form part of their learning. Indeed, at the end of the day, they need it to improve.