Carol Dweck is a psychologist who has developed the concept of a ‘growth mindset’, which basically argues that a person’s capabilities and intelligence stem from some factors: effort, learning, and perseverance. This is the only way a child is able to shape themselves and be disciplined in their mind. This is how a growth mindset is nurtured through discipline coming from parents and educators alike.
1. Praise Effort Not Inborn Ability
Traditional discipline focuses much on the outcome, while with the growth mindset, the process is really important. Interestingly, through growing-up years, children learn to value efforts and hard work as much as the outcome itself. For example, if a child is struggling to solve a math problem, instead of praising the end result, praise his determination and persistence to get there. In this way, children will develop the idea that trying brings improvement and success.
2. Set Realistic and Gradual Goals
This discipline can teach children how to set and accomplish realistic goals. Large tasks, broken down into smaller manageable steps, allow the children to experience their successes one step at a time. Those steps allow them to begin to see their progress and growth that comes from continuous effort. For example, a child learning to play a musical instrument might work toward playing a particular scale for one week; the goal will be reached in concrete observable steps.
3. Be Resilient: Educate through Constructive Feedback
Good discipline will involve giving constructive feedback that helps the child learn from mistakes. Other than punishing a child for failure, teach him what he could have done differently, and how next time he tries, he can do the task differently. This should be specific, actionable, and given about the behavior, not the child’s character. It helps children view mistakes as part of the learning curve, builds resilience toward problems, and nurtures persistence despite obstacles.
4. Demonstrate a Growth Mindset
The children learn through the adult they are with. Show a growth mindset in your life: share with children what you struggle with, how you overcome those things, and what you do to get better when you fall short. This way, children will see that growth is lifelong, and effort and learning are key.
5. Engendering a Passion for Learning
It sets up an environment in which learning is associated with a very pleasant and positive experience—one that would raise curiosity from the children to become explorers of many great opportunities for learning. Engage the children in activities that may create an interest for them and encourage learning efforts through hobbies, reading, or educational games. While instilling the love of learning, the discipline stimulates development rather than being punitive.
6. Support Autonomy and Self-Regulation
It encourages self-discipline as a result of such autonomous learning and decision-making by offering choices. It provides opportunities for children, where young children set some of their own goals, and provides some guidelines and supports also. It implants that success is coming from the work in each child’s mind. The focus on effort, achievable goals, constructive feedback, modeling an attitude toward positive challenge, and encouraging the love of learning—this is the discipline found in developing a growth mindset. Parents and educators embrace these as principles that promote development through the vicissitudes of daily life with our children: loving learning, resilient belief in oneself, and growing success.