University of Pennsylvania psychologist, famous TED speaker, and MacArthur’ genius’ Angela Duckworth first mentioned grit in children in her bestselling book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. She defined grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals. She also said grit is a better indicator of future earnings and happiness.
Here are seven ways to develop grit in children:
1.Let Your Child Find a Passion
Children are not born with passion. You can help them develop their interests in their early years. As they grow older, support the interests they have chosen and motivate them to be hardworking, and teach about the perseverance needed for success. The child needs to feel a connection with their passion, or else it’ll get boring later.
2.Get Kids Out of Their Comfort Zone
Comfort zones are a great place to be in, but nothing ever grows there. Encourage your children to try and hang on to activities they find challenging. This will let kids try new things gives them a chance to prove that they can do anything. That develops grit in children.
People may believe that some skills are innate. This leads many kids to give up on things quickly if they fail right away. According to Duckworth, give your child the opportunity to pursue at least one difficult thing; an activity that requires discipline to practice. The actual action does not matter so much as the effort and the learning experience that comes with it.
3.Boredom and Frustration are welcome.
Every parent hates to watch their kids struggle. Taking risks and struggling is an essential way for children to learn. When your child deals with anything they find hard to learn, don’t jump in and “save” them. Watch how they react and make sure they don’t quit at the any sign of discomfort. Never be afraid of your child’s feelings of sadness or frustration; this is how they develop resilience.
4.Model resilience and growth mindset.
Being able to pick yourself up from low moments is probably the most important skill a child can learn. Remind your child that it’s possible to be intelligent and accomplished and still lose. The best thing they can do is learn to be resilient from it.
5.Brainstorm Together
Parents can help their kids by brainstorming strategies together. You can make a plan of what actions to follow. Don’t forget to allow them to take ownership of the solution.
6.Talk about failures
Talking about failures will instill perseverance and resilience in your child. Talk about your own failures and how Rome was not built in a day. Children are a reflection of you, so become a model for determination.
7.Gritty Parent, Gritty Child
One of the best ways for kids to learn to be “grittier” is by watching their parents. You can ask them to be grittier, but the real lesson lies in how you act. Be a model of grace and calm when you’re struggling or failing. Don’t be afraid to bounce back. Show your child that failure is nothing to be afraid of.
Also read: Everything about Helicopter Parenting
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