Fixed vs Growth Mindset - What Parents Need to Know

As a parent, it can often be hard to support your child in moments when their only answer is ‘no’.  This is where learning about developing a growth mindset can be influential in those moments and in supporting your child's development and success. Here are some things that can help parents to know when supporting their children about fixed and growth mindsets:

1. Praise effort, not just ability: Children with a fixed mindset may believe that their abilities are predetermined and unchangeable. Praising their effort and hard work can help them develop a growth mindset and understand that they have control over their own learning and development.
2. Encourage resilience: Children with a growth mindset see failures and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Encouraging your child to persevere through challenges and setbacks can help them develop resilience and a growth mindset.
3. Model a growth mindset: Children learn by example, so it's important to model a growth mindset yourself. Embrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow, and show your child that you believe in the power of effort and hard work.
4. Avoid labels: Labels such as "smart" or "talented" can reinforce a fixed mindset and make children feel like their abilities are predetermined. Instead, focus on praising effort and progress.
5. Emphasize the power of "yet": When your child says "I can't do it," remind them that they can't do it yet. The word "yet" emphasizes the idea that abilities can be developed and improved through effort and dedication.
6. Show examples of having a growth mindset in your children, but also in their environment around them e.g. when watching cartoons or playing with others. This can help children to see this concept in a variety of contexts which supports their learning. 

Overall, understanding and promoting a growth mindset in your child can help them develop the skills and mindset necessary for success in school and in life. At H&H we support children in developing a growth mindset in our individual sessions.

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Martha Mulley 
Psychologist