Activity: Reflect on your failure mindset
Children learn how to behave by imitating others. That means one of the most powerful ways you can help your child develop a growth mindset is to model it with your own actions. New research shows that one powerful way that parents model mindset in front of their children is through their reaction to failure.
Take a moment to think about how much you agree with these statements.
| 1. "The effects of failure are negative and should be avoided." | ||
| 2. "Experiencing failure enhances performance and productivity." | ||
| 3. "Experiencing failure facilitates learning and growth." |
On average, parents who disagreed with statement #1 and agreed with statement #2 and #3 were more likely to have children with a growth mindset. Their attitudes towards failure conveyed two important messages to their children:
- Learning and improvement are more important than grades or performance.
- Failure is good - if you use it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
This does not mean that it's okay to not try or to give up when you fail. It's actually quite the opposite.