- Teach your children about their brain.
Humans are visual creatures, and we have a hard time conceptualizing things that we can not see. Children in particular learn best kinesthetically (by doing). Making the brain and its parts tangible for your child by showing them what it looks like and feels like will help your child understand how it works.
It is important for your child to understand the inner workings of their own brain. To understand why let’s compare the brain to a computer. The average person can use a computer just fine. A person who understands how to fix computer problems can use a computer even better. A person who understands how to program a computer can do things with it that the average person can not even imagine. In order for your child to get the most out of their brain they need to understand it as best as possible.
Use DR. Dan Seigel’s hand brain model to get the conversation started.
Read about the brain together.
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2. Teach your children about brain plasticity
The most amazing thing about the brain is that it is resilient and moldable. The brain is capable to changing and learning. This is where Carol Dweck‘s proposal about growth mindset meets tangible scientific studies that have been telling us the story of the brains remarkable adaptability for years. Teaching your child about brain plasticity sets the foundation for growth mindset, the understanding that change and growth is entirely (and scientifically) within our grasp.
3. Teach them about mindset
Now that your child understands that their brain is something that they have control over they are ready to learn about mindset. Teach children that the way they think and act can impact their brain’s development. Tell children that there are two different types of mindsets: fixed and growth.
Fixed mindset: I can’t!
Growth mindset: I can’t yet.
4. Work growth mindset into your routine.
You can make a huge difference to your children’s mindset by making simple changes to your routine. Encouraging your children to use growth positive language, changing the way you praise them, and leading by example can be small ways to have a huge impact.
Encourage your children to use “yet.” “I can’t yet.” “I don’t know how yet.” When you hear them use negative language encourage them to add “yet” to their sentence.
Change the way you praise your children. Describe what you liked about their project. Focus on their effort, their enjoyment, their determination, not their achievement.
Lead by example. Make mistakes in front of your children and model how to react. You can even make mistakes on purpose to show your children that mistakes are OK.
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