Do your children get easily discouraged when they try new things? Do they easily give up when a task becomes difficult? Perhaps it is time to train them to have a growth mindset.
Coined by Carol S. Dweck, Psychology Professor at Stanford University, Growth Mindset (GM) is rooted in the belief that intelligence and abilities can change and improve with: effort, finding inspiration from others, hard work, persistence, and learning from mistakes and feedback.
On the other hand, a fixed mindset (FM) is the belief that intelligence and abilities are predetermined and that our capabilities are relatively stable. The fixed mindset believes that we cannot change our abilities, and that hard work is only for the not talented and intelligent.
It is necessary to understand our brains in order to comprehend how a growth mindset works. There are billions of neurons in the brain that communicate with one another. Neuroplasticity in the brain enables us to acquire new knowledge and abilities throughout our lifetimes. As we learn new things, the brain strengthens the connections between neurons. More practice means stronger neural connections. New skills become easier to learn as a result of these connections. A growth mindset is based on the belief that brains can grow. Intellectual capacity, talent, and abilities may all develop over time. They are not fixed.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ), according to Daniel Goleman, is the ability to motivate oneself and persist in the face of frustrations, control impulses and delay gratification, regulate one’s mood, and empathize and hope. People with a growth mindset are self-aware and have high emotional Intelligence. They have empathy, which allows them to connect emotionally on a deeper level. Moods and emotions are inextricably linked to mindset. The higher our EQ, the more likely we will adopt a growth mindset mentality. If we want our children to be successful in the future, a growth mindset is crucial because it influences their behavior and motivation. If our children are easily discouraged when they make mistakes or give up on tough tasks, it will be more difficult for them to reach their goals.
We developed the “I Can Train My Brain” card set to promote a growth mindset and emotional intelligence in children. This card set aims to help cultivate different values that promote emotional Intelligence, hence a growth mindset.
Each card has a value significant in a growth mindset with definitions, synonyms, and phrases that will help them grow in that value. We hope these cards will serve as a tool to help instill essential values in our children. When children understand and believe they can train their brains, teaching them the crucial values they need to succeed in every area of their lives is easier.
In front of each card has Growth mindset Voices (GM) which symbolize the plant and Fixed Mindset Voice (FM) which symbolize the padlock.
Growth Mindset Voice (GM) statements are positive statements that, when repeated continually, can help “rewire” our brain to support the changes we want. It teaches our minds to behave following the voice. On the other hand, Fixed Mindset voice (FM) are negative statements that we have when we encounter obstacles, face challenges, and setbacks. Learn to pay attention to both voices. Self-awareness is important. It is critical to listen to the fixed mindset voice while remembering that you always have the option to choose and follow the growth mindset voice. The more you are aware of the fixed mindset voice, the more you are empowered to choose the growth mindset voice.
Process Praise
This is also a process praise card. According to Carol Dweck, One of the ways to grow our children’s growth mindset is through PRAISE. The reverse side of the card features a quick compliment that aims to help adults praise the process and not just the result. The cards will serve as a tool to help us praise our children wisely. It will prompt us to catch the moments when they practice the values necessary for a growth mindset.
Process praise is not based on intelligence or innate qualities of the children but praise that is based on effort and process. Known as ‘process praise’, this kind of praise emphasizes the work, effort, or actions of the child. When praising them, we need to focus on the things they can control, not their traits. The praise needs to be descriptive and not evaluative. Process Praise can encourage our children to be more willing to have a go at difficult things and make mistakes, and it can also boost their self-esteem.
How to use the card set :
- Family Circle time
- Use cards as a lesson tool
- Pick a praise card and put it on your child’s bedside table or desk.
Today, we look for opportunities to practice perseverance and learn from mistakes so that our kids can learn from us through us teaching them by our words and by example. Over time, a “growth” mindset can become an unconscious response if our children and we will work on it.
As we use the, I CAN TRAIN MY BRAIN CARD SET, remember that life is never about success or failure with a growth mindset, but rather about progress over time.
Order the I can train my brain Growth Mindset Card Set in our Lazada store.
For more inspiration in creating a family culture that promotes emotional connection, visit our Emosyon Bibo® website and follow our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
References:
Dweck, C. S. (2008). Mindset : the new psychology of success (Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition.). Ballantine Books.
Goleman, D. (1996). Emotional intelligence : why it can matter more than IQ. Bloomsbury.
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