Growth Mindset

from PLAYGROUND June/July 2020

Talk of the Playground

Ready, Set, Grow! How a Growth Mindset Encourages Resilience, Happiness and Success

By Malia Jacobson

Let’s face it — raising kids is hard work. But what if there were a simple way to make parenting easier, your kids happier and your household more harmonious? Turns out, there is. When children develop traits like resilience, adaptability and tenacity, known as a growth mindset, they’re more peaceful, more open to new ideas and less likely to melt down when they don’t get their way, say Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling authors of The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity and Resilience in Your Child (2018).

EARLY YEARS 0–5 A for Effort

The term “growth mindset” was coined by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, Ph.D., and refers to the understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort. Building a growth mindset — as opposed to a fixed mindset, or the belief that ability is predetermined and can’t be changed through hard work — is linked to better grades, more resilience and higher levels of achievement. Caregivers can begin encouraging a growth mindset in toddlerhood simply by ditching the “good job” habit. This type of reflexive, automatic parental praise seems harmless, but the unintended lesson for children is that a good outcome is the only acceptable one and that their effort matters less than the results of those efforts. When children focus on outcomes instead of effort, they’ll be less likely to accept failure and less open to the idea that consistent effort creates success. Shift your focus to a child’s effort by swapping phrases that focus on outcomes, like “Good job!”, for phrases that emphasize effort, like “You worked really hard on that!” or “I can tell you really focused—way to go!”. ELEMENTARY YEARS 6–12 Ready, Set, Grow

While some children seem to slip into a growth mindset easily, others may seem firmly in the “fixed” mindset camp or fall somewhere in between. “Signs that a child is using a fixed mindset include only doing things that they're good at, using the same tools, and relying on skills that they know well. A child with a fixed mindset may be unwilling to try new things or to explore other ways of thinking,” says Nedra Glover Tawwab, LCSW, owner of Kaleidoscope Counseling in Charlotte, North Carolina. When a child seems stuck in a fixed mindset, it’s worthwhile to nudge them toward a more expansive, growth-oriented perspective because a fixed mindset can contribute to issues with self-esteem, anxiety and depression, notes Tawwab. Encouraging creativity and selfexpression, characteristics of a growth mindset, can help a child break out of the “fixed” zone. “When a child struggles with a fixed mindset, caregivers can encourage them by celebrating moments where they try something new,” says Kamini Wood, a certified life and resilience coach for girls, teens and young women in Cary, North Carolina. “Reveal the growth to the child. Allow the child to embrace the moment where they tried something outside of the comfort zone.” TEEN YEARS 13–18 Fear Factor

Even if kids reach high school with a fixed mindset, it’s not too late to work toward a more positive, flexible attitude. First, notes Wood, help teens learn to recognize and counteract ANTs (automatic negative thinking). “These types of thoughts occur routinely with a fixed mindset because the general idea is that you’re either born able to do something or not,” she says. When “I can’t do that” seems to be your teen’s default thought pattern, asking gentle questions can help uncover what’s underneath. Often, these automatic “no” responses are rooted in fear of failure, says Wood. “To help uncover the underlying fear, caregivers can ask questions like ‘Is it true that you could get better at this?’ or ‘Let’s assume that you are able to do this, how would that feel?’ The point is not to convince or force your teen into action, but to allow them to feel their fear while considering a new viewpoint,” notes Wood. Helping teens begin to look past their fear of failure to see the value in trying something challenging — even if they don’t succeed — helps build the resilience that leads to lifelong success.

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(352) 394-4377

5010 US Highway 27 Clermont, FL 34714

Birthday Party

Enjoy a unique outdoor birthday experience when you visit our citrus and cattle ranch estate, and the birthday guest gets to d rive the monster truck! Our monster truck tours provide adventure for all ages.

$200 Package Includes:  Monster truck tour for up to 35 guests  Reserved covered tiki hut picnic area for 2 hours  Birthday guest receives a monster truck driver’s license  Use of playground next to picnic area  Visit farm animals

Party timeslots are 10am-12pm, 12-2pm, 2-4pm, and (4- 6pm during daylight savings time). Monster truck tour begins 1 hour after your party starts. Bring your own food and cake, or have it delivered.

Discount rates available:  Gem mine bag - 3lb bag $5  Feed the farm animals - Souvenir feed cup $2  Slushy - Small $2  Creamsicle - Small $4  U-Pick citrus (seasonally)

R eservations are required. Request a reservation through our online form and find more information at www.showcaseofcitrus.com/group-events

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Travel down the gravel path of our Drive-thru Safari Park and see more than 100 native and exotic animals roaming freely. Enjoy identifying species from as far away as the African plains, to the forest of North America, all from the comfort of your car.