How to Empower with a Growth Mindset for Kids

High five!

Just by clicking through and checking out how to empower with a growth mindset for kids, you're taking amazing steps to equip your children with positive skills to last a lifetime. Your kids will be able to access these tools at any time of day, no matter what the situation.

Find out more about growth mindset for kids and fabulous resources for you to use along this journey.

 

 

As a parent, you want what's best for your kids. You want them to be happy, carefree, and thriving. These goals are all wonderful and reflective of your love.

And then you wonder how in the world you're going to help them make that happen!

Being a parent in today's culture isn't easy.

Being a child is even more difficult.

If you're like many parents, you may be thinking you need a degree in psychology. Full disclosure: I have one and it's still a struggle!

How are you supposed to teach your child important life lessons like positive communication skills and self-love?

Or maybe you're not even sure what a "growth mindset" is and how it's supposed to help?

No worries! Let's explore what it means to cultivate a growth mindset for kids and look at some ah-mazing ways you can empower your loved ones.

 

What's a Growth Mindset for Kids?

A growth mindset has to do with how you approach life. It's not all sunshine and roses. More of a positive twist on a rational view of the world around you and within.

Let me explain.

Your child is having one of those days. Wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and emerges from his comforter cocoon with a big ol' scowl. You want to help turn that frown upside down. What do you do?

A misconception about growth mindset would say to bust into the room grinning from ear to ear and telling your child that today's going to be absolutely wonderful and beautiful and look at the sun shining and isn't today just perfect.

Get ready to duck. Your head is probably now a target for a flying pillow.

If you're empowering your child with a growth mindset, you would more likely check in with them. Gently ask what's going on. Give them space to express their thoughts and feelings. And use that information to formulate a rational approach to shifting gears and working towards a positive day.

A growth mindset is about accepting what is and making an intentional decision to use each moment for personal and interpersonal growth.

Why Cultivate a Growth Mindset for Kids

In our modern society, kids are blasted with all sorts of negativity on a daily basis. These negative sources of information about the world around them come from:

• Bullying
• Movies
• Television
• Lack of regular eye contact with others (so many screens!)
• Decreased opportunities for communication with others

Let's empower kids for today and the future! You can provide your kids with tools and techniques to effectively handle themselves. You CAN help your kids cultivate a growth mindset.

 

How to Empower with a Growth Mindset for Kids

As a former mental health therapist who worked with ages toddler through the elderly, I know the importance of learning and developing a growth mindset that you can be a lifetime asset. I've witnessed and experienced for myself the power of positive thinking and having a rational approach to life situations. One of my main goals as a mother has been to empower my boys with these essential life skills.

Sounds difficult? Well, with the right resources and information, ANYONE can cultivate a growth mindset. And help their loved ones do the same:)

Here are my top tips and techniques for building and using a growth mindset:

1. Affirmations

Affirmations are positive self-statements that you can create and repeat to reinforce a growth mindset. Short and sweet, these carefully crafted phrases or sentences are extremely powerful when consistently used. My boys use these 51 Affirmations for Homeschool Kids to build self-esteem and confidence.

2. Assertiveness training & practice

The use of "I" statements that take into account one's personal thoughts and feelings, as well as those affected by a situation, can be one of the most potent growth mindset practices ever! Assertiveness is often misunderstood as aggressive. Oh, heck no! When you are assertive you talking and acting out of respect for yourself and for others.

3. Positive thinking strategies

There is such power in your thoughts! Just a word or two can change your level of functioning and how you react to a situation. What you say and how you think can greatly impact your mindset.

To help kids (and adults) use positive thinking strategies, it's vital to stop and take a close look at the specific words being used. Irrational words like "should", "must", "have to", and "can't stand" swiftly act to swipe away a growth mindset.

By challenging those irrational words and replacing them with more rational phrases like, "I would have preferred if.." or "I would rather...", you are using positive thinking strategies that allow for growth.

4. Modeling

If you have contact with kids, modeling a growth mindset is huge! Little eyes are always watching. And little ears are always listening.

Think before you speak and act. Ask yourself if you would allow your child to say or do it. Consider how you would like to be treated. Empathy can go a long way!

5. Roleplay

Make it fun by acting out growth mindset for kids strategies! Use stuffed animals or toys to demonstrate and practice positive thinking strategies. Use this "playtime" to encourage your kids to talk about their thoughts and feelings.

With older kids, you can do a couple of cool activities. For example, one way I help my older boys work through growth mindset issues is using an empty chair. They can pretend that whoever they need to confront or talk to is there-even themselves!

Another example of how to encourage older kids to roleplay is have them put themselves in that person's shoes. This opportunity allows them to act and talk like the other person-and determine what approach might be best to deal with them.

6. Engaging, powerful stories

Relatable characters in an engaging storyline can help your kids better understand and adopt positive life skills like empathy, generosity, and compassion.

7. #JuicyConversations

I'm borrowing one of Julie Bogart's phrases from her Brave Writer lifestyle with #juicyconversations 😉

Any and all of the above tips and techniques open the door to meaningful chats with your kids. A new interest. Something strange. Current events. Use these opportunities to talk and grow with your kids.

Great ideas, right? Wondering how to do all of this when you have limited time and money?

Big Life Journal!

 

Big Life Journal: A Powerful & Affordable Resource for Growth Mindset for Kids

According to my middle son, Big Life Journal is "the best book EVER!"

That's high praise from a nine-year-old 😉 

I think of Big Life Journal (BLJ) more of an amazing resource for families to learn about, practice, and cultivate a growth mindset.

We have several BLJ resources (yes, they're that good!).

The hardcover book is a beautiful combination of a book and workbook. Through engaging and meaningful stories about real people, kids discover how to apply positive life skills to real situations. Thought-provoking questions and activities boost the effectiveness of the stories.

There's also an ebook version which is less money and you can print for use with your family or classroom up to 35 students!)

The Growth Mindset Printables Kit 1 + 2 (PDF) is such an affordable way to boost your Big Life Journal! And the colors and graphics are absolutely adorable!

Smiley (9) adores the coloring pages with positive statements that reinforce a growth mindset for kids.

I honestly can't say what part is my favorite! The goal setting worksheets for kids are invaluable for setting realistic goals based on one's hopes and dreams. As a busy mom, I truly appreciate the Top 75 Growth Mindset Books for Children & Adults AND the list of 50 Growth Mindset Movies & Videos for Children. These items save me so much time and money (because ain't nobody got time for searching out all that!).

 

 

If you are a parent or adult supervising kids and you want to empower with a growth mindset for kids, my #1 recommendation would be Big Life Journal. No matter what resource you use, you will get the hope and help you need to cultivate positive life skills with your loved ones.

What questions do you have about empowering kids with a growth mindset? Put them in the comments section below 🙂

 

Speaking of growth mindset, have you tried affirmations for kids?

You can help your kids learn about and develop the positive practice of affirmations? These powerful self-statements are fabulous skills that any age can benefit from and use.

And it's a fantastic activity that you can enjoy with your kids 

The Simple Guide to the Powerful Practice of Affirmations for Kids Bundle is here to teach you about affirmations and how you can help your kids customize the experience for maximum benefits. The guide provides you with the information you need to better understand what affirmations are and how to talk to your kids about them. 

This bundle includes printable resources for you to use with your kids to determine an affirmations practice that best fits their current needs.

Check it out and start on the path to positive thinking with your kids today!

 

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