Growth Mindset: A Parent’s Guide

What is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence, skills, and talents can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. Children (and adults!) with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities, value effort, and bounce back from setbacks.

By contrast, a fixed mindset is the belief that abilities are set in stone — you’re either “good at something” or “not good at it” — which can make children avoid challenges or give up easily.

When parents model and encourage a growth mindset, children learn to:

• Try new things without fear of failure

• View mistakes as part of learning

• Keep going when things get tough

• Take pride in effort, not just results

Hints & Tips for Encouraging a Growth Mindset at Home

1. Praise Effort, Not Just Results

• Instead of: “You’re so smart.”

• Try: “I’m proud of how hard you worked on that.”

2. Talk About Mistakes as Learning Tools

• Share your own slip-ups and what you learned from them.

• Say: “What did that teach you?” or “What could you try differently next time?”

3. Model Lifelong Learning

• Show curiosity. Let them see you trying something new — and struggling a little!

• Example: “I’m learning how to bake bread. My first loaf was a disaster, but I’m going to try again.”

4. Replace “I can’t” with “I can’t yet”

• Encourage adding “yet” to the end of “I can’t do this.”

• This simple shift builds patience and persistence.

5. Ask Growth-Focused Questions

• “What was tricky today and how did you handle it?”

• “What’s one thing you want to get better at this week?”

6. Avoid Labels That Limit

• Skip: “I’m terrible at maths” or “You’re a natural at drawing.”

• These send the message that ability is fixed, not developed.

Key Takeaway

A growth mindset isn’t about pretending things are easy — it’s about understanding that with time, practice, and the right strategies, we can improve. By showing your child that effort matters, mistakes help us grow, and learning never stops, you’re giving them a lifelong tool for success.

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Read more about Growth Mindset on Carol Dweck's blog: https://fs.blog/carol-dweck-mindset/