Sharpening a child's mind is vital to help children cultivate independence and succeed in life. Instilling life-long values in children nowadays, especially in the age of technology, can be challenging for others.
In today's fast-paced world, parents are constantly seeking effective strategies to sharpen their child's mind and promote holistic development. With that, here are five parenting tips guardians can use to help nurture a child's potential for success.
These five insightful parenting tips are aimed at enhancing child development, fostering a success mindset, and equipping young minds with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing environment.
From asking children where they need support to sharing stories of perseverance, these tips are designed to empower parents in their journey of raising confident, resilient, and successful individuals.
Parenting Tips To Sharpen Your Child's Mind
1. Share stories of perseverance
Sometimes, kids are embarrassed by their failures or struggles because they believe everything comes easily to adults. Since storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to impart lessons, you can use stories to show them that's not the case and teach them about growth mindset.
An 8-year-old girl had a bit of a perfectionist streak. If she didn't get new material at school right away, she would become discouraged. So her mother, who's a writer, shared with her daughter that she has to go through multiple drafts for every project, constantly revising and improving her work. Her daughter was amazed and relieved to discover that her own mother has to work hard, too!
These types of stories help normalize and show kids that almost anything worth doing usually involves a bit of struggle, especially at the beginning.
2. Talk about your favorite mistakes
When we inhabit our growth mindset, we're not afraid of making mistakes because we don't believe they reflect our inherent ability. Instead, we see missteps as learning opportunities.
One teacher used a unique tool to encourage growth mindsets in her classroom. On a large wall display titled "My Favorite Mistakes," each student shared a mistake they'd made and how it spurred their learning.
You can do a similar exercise at the dinner table. Ask everyone to share a recent misstep, along with how it made them feel and what they're learning from it. These can be light, fun conversations where we can laugh about our mistakes ("I definitely shouldn't have worn a white shirt to work because I ended up spilling lunch all over it!"), or a chance to recount more vulnerable moments ("I hurt someone's feelings today.").
Conversations like this demonstrate acceptance of past mistakes and embrace what they have to teach.
3. Remind your kids how far they've come
Kids often hyper-focus on the failure or struggle they're experiencing in the present moment, losing sight of the success they've had in the past.
If your child is feeling discouraged, remind them of the path they've taken and the obstacles they've overcome to get where they are now. For example: "Remember when you were having a hard time learning to read? Now you're reading entire chapter books on your own!"
You can pull out some old assignments, photos, or videos to illustrate how things that were once challenging for them are now a piece of cake.
Many kids - from toddlers to teens - love being reminded of what they were like when they were younger and how they've developed over time. This conversation also demonstrates your appreciation of them as individuals with their own growth trajectories.
4. Ask your kids where they need support
The simple act of checking in with your child helps you uncover if there's an area where they need extra support or assistance, whether it's practical help with math homework or a pep talk. For instance, ask them something like, "So, what challenges are you working with right now?"
Notice that this language normalizes the idea that at any given time, each of us is struggling with something. You could even lead by sharing something you're wrestling with, then ask them what they're facing.
Helping kids tap into their growth mindset isn't just about encouraging them to hang in there or try harder. It's about ensuring that they have the resources and support they need to be successful.
5. Make it fun
Shaping your family's mindset is a group effort, but it doesn't have to feel serious or heavy. For instance, one activity that can be both fun and effective is to engage the whole family in coming up with a slogan or mantra, such as "We love learning!" or "Go for growth!"
When we see learning and growing as enjoyable, we're more likely to want to do the work it takes to get there.
Related Article: Helicopter Parenting: Why It May Not Lead to Success
