A colleague of mine came to me with an interesting observation. She is a private teacher in Dubai for children of expatriate families and has noticed a pattern in how her students approach new challenges and learning opportunities. She noticed that some of her students would put in maximum effort and work hard to try and learn new things, while others tend to avoid challenges or become overly stressed about them. It turns out she was onto something. In this article, we’ll explore various ways for your child to develop a growth mindset.

Cope with failure and setbacks

While kids with a fixed mindset struggle with failure, causing them to lose motivation to try new things in the future, a child with a growth mindset understands that mistakes happen and that what matters is learning how to overcome them. They accept that learning new things is challenging and an essential part of life that we mustn’t shy away from. It is important to instill this way of thinking in young children. It is what sets them apart and gives them a headstart on the path toward success.

Help them develop a sense of curiosity and love for learning

A friend of mine who works as a British Teacher in the UAE has noticed that one of the most paramount determining factors for whether or not a child stays motivated throughout their school life is how much interest they take in learning and developing new skills. It turns out that a healthy sense of curiosity about the world around you is an excellent sign that your child will be able to keep going regardless of the challenges they face.

Praise the child with every improvement.`

Praising effort instead of the result is an excellent way of showing your child that their hard work is essential, not just a finished product. Last year I had a conversation with a Governess in Dubai about this subject, and she pointed out that it’s important to praise the effort that your child puts into things because they can’t control what happens at the end of their learning process. They could spend hours practicing something but still not get the result they were hoping for, so tell them how proud you are anyway.

Bottomline

Developing a growth mindset takes time and effort, but the rewards for your child will be worth it. It’s all about showing them that learning new things is complex and not always fun at the time, but every small step they take to overcome these challenges will make them more resilient in the future.

If you’d like to find a way you can help your child feel confident and inspired, please get in touch with the Royal Teaching Family Educational Concierge Service for professional services. Their specialists are carefully selected & vetted for professional child care & child development services in Dubai & throughout the Middle East.

You can reach out at their website at https://www.royalteaching.com/governess-services/. I hope you found this article helpful.