Photo by Akil Mazumder from Pexels
Dear parents,
All of us have high expectations of our children – and we can admit that most of the time, we think they are the brightest, most talented, and most well-behaved child we’ve ever met.
There are a few problems with that. First, our high expectations rub off on our children and they start being afraid of making mistakes. Second, when they encounter a tough challenge, it’s easier for them to give up.
These problems are part of what we call a “Fixed Mindset” – the idea that if we aren’t inherently good at something, we just don’t have the talent for it.
If we allow this thinking to continue, it could negatively impact our children’s growth! They’ll start an activity with unrealistic expectations and are more likely to quit halfway if they get stuck.
Even worse, they’ll start shying away from situations where they could “fail” and stay in their comfort zone.
But that’s not how we grow… We only grow when we make mistakes, overcome challenges and learn from our experiences.
That kind of thinking is part of a healthy “Growth Mindset”. It’s when we understand that we’re not going to be great at something at the beginning, but after practicing for a while and learning through trial and error, our skills are going to improve.
Dear parents, it’s easy for us to go overboard with praising our children and it’s in our nature to shield them from the pain of mistakes. But it’s also our job to make sure they grow into healthy, determined and mentally tough individuals that are prepared to take on the challenges of real life.
Here are some encouraging quotes for you to share with them:
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. – Albert Einstein
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. – Thomas Edison
The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. – Henry Ford
The Apollo rocket, on its way to the moon, is only on course 2-3% of the time. 97% of its journey, it veers off course and has to find its way back. But still, it reaches the moon. – Anonymous
Remember parents, only God is perfect.
Until the next post!