WHY ENCOURAGE A GROWTH MINDSET IN YOUR CHILD?
As a parent or carer, one of your most powerful roles is being your child’s cheerleader; helping them recognise their achievements and feel motivated to keep learning. It’s natural to say, “Well done, aren’t you clever!” when something goes well ... but when praise focuses only on talent or ability, children can start to see themselves in terms of what they have or don’t have.
A child who is praised only for being 'smart' or 'good at something' is more likely to develop a fixed mindset. They may do well at school for a while, as long as everything feels easy, but they won’t have a strategy for coping when things get difficult. If they suddenly can’t maintain the same results, it can feel unsettling - even frightening - because it challenges the identity they’ve built around being 'able'. Children with a fixed mindset often avoid new challenges for fear of failing.
But there’s good news: children can become far more resilient when we help them develop a growth mindset. When praise shifts from ability to effort, strategies and perseverance, learning becomes less pressured and more joyful. Children begin to understand that skills grow with practice, and that mistakes aren’t proof of failure — they’re simply part of figuring things out.
A child who keeps trying builds resilience will learn that not getting something right the first time doesn’t mean they never will - it just means they haven’t managed it yet. With this understanding, they become less discouraged when things feel tricky and more willing to take on challenges. Perseverance and determination become their tools for success, especially when they know you value the effort they put in.
Of course, you should absolutely keep telling your child they’re 'the best thing since sliced bread'. Every child needs to feel loved and cherished. Try pairing this with praise that highlights their effort, focus and determination ... whether or not they reached the outcome they hoped for.
Although most learning happens at school, children take their beliefs and values from you. They value what you value. When they know you admire their perseverance, it becomes part of their developing sense of self-worth.
And when that happens, school becomes a happier place - a space where they feel confident, capable and excited to take on new challenges.