Mentally Preparing Your Kids for the First Day of School

In the midst of new uniforms, checking booklists, filling the lunchboxes, and finally getting everybody to their classrooms, here is something to consider.

Your child’s mindset is their most important asset.

We all have a mindset. Which one we choose will determine how we cope with school and with life.

A fixed mindset says, it’s all too hard, and I can’t do it. This mindset has already determined that what is being asked is too much, and that it is impossible to do, or to do well, so I might as well not even try.

A growth mindset says it’s hard right now but it won’t stay that way because with practice, the impossible becomes possible and doable.

A growth mindset grasps the concept that tasks will be difficult – they expect them to be, but they also understand that learning is a process. They expect to be actively involved in that process; knowing that there will be times when they will fail.

The letters of the word FAIL spell out

First

Attempt

In

Learning

When we expect to fail and accept that it is a part of the learning process before mastery is achieved, then we have also absorbed the lessons of resilience (the ability to bounce back) and growth.

Application: Establishing and nurturing a growth mindset is achievable. If you have a negative Ned or Nellie, the time to start is now.

When they say that it is too hard, rephrase that statement by adding ‘right now’ or ‘at the moment’, and have them repeat it.

What might seem easy to you, IS hard to them, so acknowledge that fact, but build into the statement a sense of hope. It is the sense of hope that we impart that allows more attempts, rather than foster a defeated attitude, where giving up is seen as the only option.

Our children look to us as role models. So as parents we can reminisce about times when we found something almost impossible to do at first (remember learning to drive?), but eventually, it became easy.

Remind your child, or have them recall past experiences they have had which seemed overwhelming at first but now they do easily (learning to tie shoelaces, reading, learning the times tables, riding a bike).

As they realise that they have achieved hard things, this gives them the courage and the encouragement to keep on keeping on.

So, along with the frozen drink, the new pencil case and the named hat, make sure their  growth mindset is ready and waiting to be used each day!

Yvette Johnstone was a teacher for 20 years and is now a counsellor and a Tutor with aifc Graduate.

Hear Yvette’s Podcast talk on Radio Station 98.5 Sunshine FM