Why do some children give up when they hit a wall, while others keep trying until they succeed? The answer often comes down to how they see their own abilities.
A "growth mindset" is an approach with proven results in education and personal development. It helps children (and adults) stop fearing mistakes and start believing their abilities can grow. Let's look at how to build it — especially when a child has learning difficulties or developmental differences.
What is a "growth mindset"?
The term was coined by psychology professor Carol Dweck after years of research. Its core idea is simple: a person believes they can improve through effort and learning.
🔍 The opposite is a fixed mindset, where a child thinks: "I'm just not capable," "I don't have the talent for this," "This isn't for me." That belief stops growth in its tracks.
📌 Why does this work? Because the brain has neuroplasticity — the ability to change and adapt. The more we practice a skill, the stronger the connections in the brain become. And this applies not just to math, but to self-regulation, communication, and stress management too.
How should you praise your child?
The type of praise you give shapes how a child perceives their own abilities.
❌ The wrong approach — praising intelligence
Phrases like "You're so smart!" or "You're a natural!" sound positive, but they can create a fear of failure. A child starts worrying about losing the "smart" label and begins avoiding hard tasks.
✅ What works — praising effort
This builds resilience and motivation:
- "You worked on this for so long — that's great!"
- "You didn't give up, even when it got hard"
- "You tried different approaches, and it worked!"
💡 Even if a task doesn't work out, it's important to acknowledge the effort, not just the result.
How can stress work in your favor?
How we perceive stress matters too. Research by Dr. Aly Crum shows that our attitude toward stress itself affects our behavior and even our physiology.
🧠 If we believe stress is harmful, it really does hold us back. But if we see it as a signal to mobilize, it helps us focus and activates the body's and brain's resources.
📌 This is called a stress-enhancing mindset. Combined with a growth mindset, it helps us not just "endure" difficulties, but actually turn them into a point of growth.
What can parents do?
Here are some practical tips, especially relevant for families of children with special educational needs:
💬 1. Build a positive attitude toward learning
- Praise effort, not just results.
- Share stories of people who succeeded through persistence.
- Talk about mistakes as part of the journey ("What did we learn from this?").
🧡 2. Provide emotional support
- Give your child your full attention — without rushing, with genuine interest.
- Remind them of past wins.
- Show them that you believe in them.
🏡 3. Create a clear, stable environment
- Keep a consistent daily routine.
- Use visual supports: schedules, pictures, checklists.
- Make sure they have access to the resources they need — from wide-ruled notebooks to specialist consultations.
🌱 4. Help build social connections
- Encourage friendships and shared activities.
- Create family rituals — reading, walks, board games.
- Get them involved in the community — clubs, groups, volunteering.
📚 5. Grow together
- Learn about the topic — books, courses, lectures.
- Try different approaches — flexibility matters more than "perfection."
- Listen to your child — they'll often show you what works.
🎯 Conclusion
A growth mindset isn't just a buzzword — it's a real tool for helping your child. It helps children become confident, motivated, and capable of handling life's challenges.
It's especially important to nurture this mindset in children with learning difficulties or special needs. Parents don't need to become psychologists to do this — it just takes support, the right kind of feedback, and belief in your child's potential.
